Mary Blanche Smith

Mary Blanche Inwood Smith, age 86, of Novi, passed away on April 10, 2019.

She was born in Washington Township, Macomb County, on April 4, 1933, to Orlin and Rosalie (Hyatt) Inwood.  She met her husband, John Wesley Smith at Adrian College, and they were married on June 13, 1952 at the Romeo United Methodist Church.

Before graduating from college, she was stricken with polio at age 21, finishing the last three credits of her B.A. by correspondence course.  She raised four children from a wheelchair, and was named Polio Mother of the Year in 1960 in Van Buren County.  She returned to college later in life, renewing her teaching certificate and obtaining a Master of Arts in Education from Oakland University.  She was an elementary school teacher in the Walled Lake Public Schools for 22 years.  A lifelong Methodist, she also served as a minister's wife for 20 years.  She lived many years in Oakland County, as well as in Decker, Pigeon, West Bloomfield and Novi.  She enjoyed reading, puzzles, gardening, bird watching, Bible study and listening to Tiger baseball games.

She is survived by four children: John (Lori) Smith of Pigeon, Rev. Sondra (Ed) Willobee of Pinckney, James (Vicki) Smith of Chelsea and Sharon (Jerry) Thomas of Farmington Hills; eight grandchildren, James (Brenda) Smith, Benjamin (Kayla) Smith, Laura (Ben) Johns, Barbara (Zulfia) Willobee, Michelle (Josh) Currie, Andrew (Caitlin) Smith, Alan (Melanie) Thomas and Ian (Jessica) Thomas; fifteen great-grandchildren, Emma, Noah, Molly, Brian, Kaoty, Kobain, Kelson, Breanna, Kolton, Bella, Kendol, Emmett, Victor, Elliot and Parker; brother George (Barb) Inwood of Athens, TN and sister Carol Clarke of Romeo.

She was preceded in death by her husband John and her sister Florence Roe.

Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00pm Sunday, April 14th at Shabbona United Methodist Church in Decker with Rev. Matthew Chapman officiating.  Burial will be in Caseville Township Cemetery.  Visitation will be 4-8 Saturday at Champagne Funeral Chapel and one hour before the service on Sunday in church.

Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian College or Shabbona United Methodist Church.