Allan Michael Smith

SMITH, Allan Michael (Mike) Beloved husband of Martha Smith for 52 years.  Loving father of Aaron (Wendy), Matt (Erin), and Ashley (Jason) Bovard.  Proud Papa of Molly, Ella, Andrew, Luke, Logan, Cole, Arielle, and Nate.  Dear brother of Chris (Lucille), Mark (Susan), Tim (Lizz) and brother-in-law of Rich (Beverly) Pratley.  Also survived by his many wonderful nieces, nephews, family, and friends.  Preceded in death by his mother (Margery) and father (Milain).

Mike was born on October 12, 1948, in Watertown, NY.  He was the oldest of four boys, who grew up on their family turkey farm in upstate New York.  He attended Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan where he was a proud member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.  He graduated in 1970, and at the age of 22, married his college sweetheart, Marty.  After graduation, while serving in the U.S. Army Reserves, Mike began his career in Information Technology Systems and in 1972 was transferred by American Financial Corporation from Watertown, NY to Cincinnati, OH.   Even though Mike and Marty did not have any family, friends, or prior connection to Cincinnati, Mike built, together with Marty, his family’s deep and long-lasting impact on the greater Cincinnati community. 

Mike was a role model for work ethic.  He dedicated 43 years to The American Financial Corporation, the parent company of Great American Insurance Company, and retired in 2013.  One of Mike’s most noteworthy accomplishments was being the primary founder of Millennium Dynamics (MDI, Inc.), a Y2k and mainframe technology company as a subsidiary of Great American.  In his role as Chief Technology Officer, Mike traveled worldwide speaking, selling and implementing the product.  His brilliance was subtle.  Following retirement from Great American, he turned his support to A Child’s Garden, a preschool which he founded with Marty and Ashley in 2001.  He will always be remembered as Mr. Mike, who loved getting his hugs and smiles from the kids every morning.

Mike was a role model for kindness.  Everyone who knew Mike loved him.  His warm smile, gregarious laugh, and kind demeaner always left such a positive impact on anyone who met him.  He had a genuine way of connecting with people that made everyone feel comfortable.  He was dependable and constantly there for others but never wanted the attention on himself.  

Mike was a role model for his family.  Family was his true passion and always his priority.  He was the best brother, husband, and dad, but his real joy came from being “Papa” to his eight grandchildren.  Mike could never say “no” to anyone in his family.  He was so proud of each one of them and he would often tell them that.  He was always there for them – whether it was to help with a drive to practice, to sit on the sidelines during games, by the pools during meets, in the stands of gyms, in the audience of recitals, or just hanging out, he was always there.  We know that he would have wanted a lot more time to spend with his family because that is undoubtedly what they want.  The family will forever remember him, miss him, and be better because of him.    

Mike never wanted much from anyone else.  He was content being with his family, friends, walking Bear, or even just sitting on a beach in his chair, reading his book, while listening to the crashing waves of the ocean…his vacation of choice.  He was able to live his life to the fullest right up to the end.  He is at peace now and will forever be remembered by all those that he has touched. 

Visitation is on THURSDAY, April 20, from 5:00 – 8:00pm at Dalbert, Woodruff, Isenogle Funeral Home (dwifuneralhome.com) at 2880 Boudinot Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45238.  A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, April 21, starting 10:30am at St. Antonius Church at 1500 Linneman Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45238 followed by a Celebration of Life reception in the Undercroft of the church.  Monetary donations can be made in his name to the American Diabetes Association Donate to ADA here