Lafronza Smith

LaFronza Smith passed away, Tuesday, October 28, 0225 at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital-Hamilton at the age of 78. He was born on September 13, 1947, and was affectionately known to most as Fronnie or Smitty.
LaFronza was educated in the Hamilton Township Public School District, graduating from Hamilton High West in 1966. Fronnie was a star athlete in high school, along with his brothers. Once the brothers were herald by the Newark Star Ledger, and the headline read; "It was the Smith Brothers and not the Cough Drops."
In 1967, Fronnie was drafted into the United States Army in 1967 and served in the Vietnam War. LaFronza was awarded the prestigious Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), an Air Medal, a Vietnam Service Medical with 2 Bronze Service Stars, a Vietnam Campaign Medal with the 60 Device and an Army Commendation Medal. He was honorably discharged in January 1972. Fronnie was employed by Trane in Hamilton Township for 40 years, where he served in management.
Smitty enjoyed cycling, scuba diving, gardening and traveling. He competed in the MS Coast to Coast Bike Ride with Team Trane. Fronnie took pride in his garden, especially his rose bushes.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Sr. and Margaret Lucille Smith; three brothers, James Stevenson, Robert Jr. and Curtis Smith; and great nephew, Anthony Stevenson Jr.
LaFronza leaves to cherish his memories, his wife, Cynthia Smith; son, Michael Saffron (Christine); three grandchildren, Michael Jr. and Tatiana Saffron, Deanna Johnson, all of Hamilton Township; one great grandson, Devon Davis of Hamilton Township; one sister-in-law, Jacqueline Stevenson of Chester, VA; one brother-in-law, Livingston Hennegan (Mary) of Hamilton Township; three nephews, Troy and Anthony Sr. Stevenson of Hamilton Township, Kyle Ford of Trenton, NJ; four nieces Jacqueline Stevenson and Rochelle Stevenson-Moore of Chester, VA; Ira Hayes of Marlton, NJ, Patricia Hayes, Portland, OR; two great nephews, James and Jayden Moore of Chester, VA; one great niece, Kylee Ford and a host of cousins and friends. He will be greatly missed.