Sidney W. Smith Jr.

1920 - 2017

SMITH

SIDNEY W., JR., A prominent Detroit, Michigan lawyer for over forty years, passed away on March 7, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mr. Smith was born on May 13, 1920 in Ogdensburg, New York. After serving in World War II, he earned undergraduate and law degrees from Duke University. Mr. Smith was Senior Partner of the Clark, Klein and Beaumont law firm until his retirement in 1990. He specialized in tax, corporate and business law, and absolutely loved the law and serving his devoted clients. Following his retirement, he was Of Counsel for the law firm Dawda Mann in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where his former partner and dear friend, Curt Mann, was a Founding Partner. Mr. Smith served on the boards of several corporations and foundations, and was especially devoted to the Baldwin Public Library, Duke University Law School, where he endowed a permanent scholarship, and the Detroit Zoo. Outside of his professional and philanthropic work, Mr. Smith also enjoyed life to the fullest. He was a member of The Detroit Club, Birmingham Athletic Club, and Orchard Lake Country Club, where he was an avid golfer. He loved adventurous travel with family members, having backpacked, horse-packed, white water rafted and traveled to the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Peru and Mexico. Mr. Smith is survived by Margaret, his wife of 70 years, and his four children: Sarah Hofheinz (Fred) of Indianapolis, Indiana; Sidney W. Smith III (Gloria) of Boston, Massachusetts; Susan Whiting of Santa Margarita, California; and Amy O'Connor (Terry) of Delmar, New York. He also is survived by eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Most of all, Sid was a humble, self-made man who lived a full and wonderful life, and made an enormous difference in the lives of those fortunate enough to have known him. There will be a private memorial service for his family in Indianapolis at a later date. His ashes will be interred in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. The family requests that any memorial contributions be made to the charity of your choice.