Michael G. Smith

1943 - 2022

Michael G. Smith
August 12, 1943 - June 13, 2022
Fort Worth, Texas - Michael G. Smith, 78, passed from this earthly life on Monday, June 13, 2022.
Born in 1943 in Fort Worth to Artemis and Gregory (Asikis) Smith, Mike grew up in Fort Worth graduating from Arlington Heights High School (1961) where he formed friendships he would hold dear his entire life. Mike graduated from The University of North Texas in 1965.
Baptized in the Greek Orthodox church, Mike was a longstanding member of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. He participated in the annual Greek festival grilling the souvlaki and donating supplies. Mike also served on the Board of Directors at Ridglea Country Club.
Mike took over operation of The Paris Coffee Shop in 1965 after his father became ill. Mike expanded the coffee shop in 1974 where he continued operation for 47 years until selling the business in 2021.
The Paris Coffee Shop is a Fort Worth institution where people from all walks of life gathered to meet and eat. Everyone was greeted by Mike, served food prepared from Mike's recipes and finished off with a slice of pie made personally by Mike each day. Mike's pies were legendary in Fort Worth and the pie orders at Thanksgiving numbered in the hundreds. Mike was featured on The Food Network and in cooking articles of numerous newspapers and magazines. People often scheduled their week around the Special of the Day like Chicken & Dumplings on Thursdays and Fried Chicken and Lemon Meringue Pie on Fridays.
Mike loved sports. He was an accomplished Bowler with professional level skills. Mike excelled at tennis at Ridglea Country Club. He also followed TCU athletics closely for years and he loved to ski and play golf. Mostly, Mike loved being with people and people loved him.
Mike loved his family with his whole heart. Married to Ginger Smith for 52 years, their family included daughter Shelle and son Troy. To Mike, his friends were his family also and those friends were too numerous to count. If you were a friend of Mike's there was nothing he would not do for you. His "bear hug" sometimes felt like a chiropractor's adjustment but it was full of love. Mike loved to laugh and to make everyone else laugh. He always had a joke to tell.
Mike was a collector of many things and he could fix anything, often because he had a spare part in his collection of "treasures".
Mike was preceded in death by his father; mother; brothers, Gregg, David, Jimmy, Bob, Bill and Paul; and his son, Troy.
Mike is survived by wife, Ginger; daughter, Shelle Barber; son-in-law, Steven; grandsons, Hunter and Noah; along with many cousins.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to The National Psoriasis Foundation, American Diabetes Association or The National Kidney Foundation.
A Celebration of Life service will be held Friday, June 24, 2022, at 1 p.m. with a reception to follow (2-4 pm) at Ridglea Country Club, 3700 Bernie Anderson Ave., Fort Worth, Texas.