Born: Jan. 6, 1925

Died: Oct. 2, 2012

Mr. Gerald Oliver Smith Sr., age 87 of Manchester, Tenn., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012 at Alive Hospice of St. Thomas Hospital, Nashville, Tenn.  A Memorial Service will be scheduled at a later date in Buchanan, Mich.

Mr. Smith was born Jan. 6, 1925 at Bear Cave Farm in Buchanan, Mich.  He was the son of the late Elza and Evelyne Devine Smith.  Mr. Smith was a WW II Veteran, serving in the Army Air Force in the CBI Asiatic-Pacific Theater.  He was retired from National Standard in Niles, Mich., where he worked for 27 years as a machinist and foreman. After retiring, he worked for eleven years at the Brookwood Golf Course.  He was a member of the American Legion, the Buchanan Westerners Riding Club and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Buchanan, Mich.  He loved to hunt and fish from his cabin in Bitely, Mich.  He and his wife of 65 years, Dolores Haack Smith had recently relocated from Buchanan, Mich., to Manchester, Tenn.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one daughter, Gerrie Evelyne; two sisters and two brothers-in-law, Pauline and Bud Mikesell and Margaret and Robert Naragon and one great granddaughter, Chelsea Chappell.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Smith is survived by one son, Gerald Smith Jr. and his fiancé, Terre of Buchanan, Mich.; two daughters, Virginia Sain-Farrar and her husband, Kerry of Manchester, Tenn. and Margaret Gridley and her husband Richard of Manchester, Tenn.; three granddaughters; three grandsons; one step-grandson and 10 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN, 37203.

On line condolences may be made at www.coffeecountyfuneralchapel.com