Michelle Kay Smith, 58, of rural Marshall, died Friday, August 6, in Jackson County, South Dakota.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, August 12, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Marshall, with Rev. William Voelker officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 11, at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. Burial will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Lone Elm, MO. Memorials are suggested to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Friends may sign the online register book at www.campbell-lewis.com
Born October 27, 1962, in Boonville, to Kathleen Wenger Lenz and her late husband Gale, baptized November 4th, 1962 and confirmed in 1977 at Zion Lutheran Church. She graduated from Zion Lutheran Grade School in 1977 and Bunceton High School in 1981.
Michelle grew up on a dairy farm in Lone Elm with her sister Stephanie (Sissy) and brother Randy, which entailed numerous days and nights of long work; however not without many days of play.
Participating in 4-H, learning piano, lettering in both basketball and softball; she was a well-rounded young lady leading her to become a beautiful Cooper County Fair Queen.
She attended Central Missouri State University for undergrad and then enrolled in State Fair Community College, graduating in 1988 as a Registered Nurse, and working at both Bothwell Regional Health Center and Fitzgibbon Hospital.
In early 2000s, Michelle bought her first motorcycle. From that point on, she never passed an opportunity to ride. The open roads gave her a sense of freedom.
Michelle married her loving husband Bill Smith on July 22nd, 2005, which was attended by their amazing friends, Bob and Deb Adcock. They rode away on their motorcycles together and little did we all know she would pass doing the same.
She turned a rural farmhouse into a home at Marshall Junction. There she raised longhorns and many animals, but most importantly she raised three young boys. Michelle was able to watch each of them grow into the wonderful young men they are today. She was so proud of each of them and was not shy about telling her friends and family. Her pride for her boys radiated from her when she spoke of them. Michelle loved her three grandchildren and always enjoyed watching them spend time in the pool and out in the pasture when they would visit.
Casual family dinners at Michelle’s seemed like Thanksgiving each time because of the effort she put into every meal she served. Not one detail unthought of, including a warm apple pie that she would sneak out of the oven once everyone had their fill.
She was a faithful child of God, with passion to share God’s love with everyone. She has always been active in her church: Mission trips, youth trips, Sunday school teacher, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and she took extra pride in decorating the church sanctuary (especially for Christmas).
Tending to her immaculate garden, feeding the cows, talking to her family, enjoying time with her numerous friends, going to church, or riding her motorcycle, you rarely caught Michelle doing something she did not love; and most importantly in the last two years she saw all her sons marry three wonderful women who blessed Michelle as the daughters she never had, getting nails done, shopping and enjoying a glass of wine.
In Michelle’s home, you will find many pictures of her and her Harley, but the one that stands out the most is a frame inscribed with the following, “It’s not the Destination, It’s the Journey”.
Michelle was preceded in death by her father, Gale John Lenz; father-in-law, Leonard Smith; mother-in-law, Shirley Smith; and brother-in-law, Lloyd Smith.
She is survived in the home by her husband, William Smith; mother, Kathleen Wenger Lenz; brother, Randy (Holly) Lenz; sister, Stephanie Tarry; former husband, Bryan Thiel and their children, Brandon (Kaitlin), Austin (Megan) and Alex (Rachelle) Thiel; nephew and niece, Mitchel and Rachel Lenz; her stepson, Zach (Karri) Smith and children, Izac, Elizabeth and Philip Smith; brother-in-law, Michael (Carmen) Smith and children, Austin and Jordan Smith; and brother-in-law, Marty Smith and children Shylah and Mendy.