| Graduation Year | Class of 1963 |
| Date of Birth | Sep 14, 1945 |
| Date of Passing | Jan 25, 2026 |
| About | Lynn Gay Smith, age 80, of Spring Lake, passed away on Sunday, January 25, 2026. She was born on September 14, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, the fifth of seven children born to Helen Irene (Radford) Smith and Bertram George Smith. Shortly after she was born, the family moved briefly to Charlevoix, and then to the greater Lansing area. The summer before she turned five, they bought a home on Lake Lansing, where access to water and water activities became a prevailing theme in her life. Lynn began kindergarten in the Haslett school system, graduating in 1963. She was a friendly, vivacious young girl, full of energy and known for her bright smile and ready laughter. School friends from those years have remained friends her entire life. Lynn received her BA in Elementary Education from Michigan State University in 1972 and shortly thereafter moved to the Grand Haven/Spring Lake area in Western Michigan. After a brief stint working for the Story & Clark piano factory, she became the director of an early childhood program in Grand Haven and began taking classes leading to her MA in Early Childhood Education from Grand Valley State University. She spent most of her working life as an Early Childhood Licensing Consultant for the State of Michigan which, as the state consolidated licensing programs, later, included work with adult care facilities. Lynn retired in 2009 and soon became involved in numerous volunteer activities. With her usual enthusiasm, willingness to give her all to projects and people, and deep love for gardens and gardening, Lynn became an active member of the Tri-Cities Garden Club in 2009 and served in numerous roles. As always, she made lasting friends with other garden enthusiasts. Her other passion was for books. A “night owl” by inclination, and a voracious reader with a fondness for mysteries, Lynn could quite literally “consume” an entire book in one sitting, and several in a week. Especially after the death of her parents, Lynn became not only a kind of home base for family but also its kin-keeper. Siblings, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and others always knew that she was there for them; that they had a home whenever – and for as long – as they needed or wanted it. Lynn was “mother” to Tracy, “Grandma Lynn” to Evan, Emma, and Abby (and for others, who loved her and thought of her that way), “Auntie Lynnie” to most everyone else. She knew not only the names and ages of all her 17 nieces and nephews, but also stayed in touch with each of them over the years, providing them with a deep sense of connection. She also was the one who took on the formidable task of researching and maintaining the family’s genealogical data, providing us all with knowledge of our family history and the roots we share. Lynn is survived by her daughter, Tracy (Jeff) Bennett; grandchildren, Evan, Emma (JJ and Baby James), and Abby; siblings, Karen (Timothy) Benally, Larry (Mona) Smith, and Cynthia (Rod) Alspaugh; and nieces and nephews, Steve, Craig, and Kym; Janet and Gary; Jeff and Carol; Lisa; Mike, Dan, Laurie, Shilo, and Scott; Bill, Mark, and Amy. She was preceded in death by both of her parents; and by siblings, David, Shirley, and Gordon. Lynn did not want a funeral. A Celebration of Life is being planned for mid-May 2026, details to be announced. In lieu of flowers, please support the Tri-Cities Garden Club with donations. Please visit www. klaassenfuneralhome.com to sign Lynn’s online guestbook. |
