Michael D. Smith

Michael D. Smith, whom I have known for my lifetime, is now gone. He took his own life on November 18, 2016 at his beloved Lake of the Ozarks. The relief that I thought I would feel on his passing from this life to the next is instead an intense sadness like I have never known. You could love him and hate him at the same time, as any who ever really knew him will attest. My brother, and only sibling, was intelligent but his mind was challenged. Mostly due to his anger about childhood experiences that no one should have to endure. Our parents were ill-equipped to handle his emotional needs and he, therefore, never received the proper help and instruction. They allowed his selfishness to rule and it consumed him. I wish it could have been different. Michael could be the nicest, most jovial fellow. He could talk and joke, making anyone feel at ease. Oh he did LOVE to talk! He always said his first drink was at age 13, around the time our parents divorced. Alcohol changed him into a horrible person and his lifetime of struggle was to only grow worse. He had three marriages over the years and two sons, whom he never was able to get to know. He knewthis was due to his poor choices but I know it bothered him a great deal. He loved his sons. All the years that I tried to help him were so intense and I know that I did the best I could. These past two years after our mother died, though, I had stay away for my own well-being. I wished it didn't have to be that way. So many people have tried to help him over the years. You know who you are. All of you who took those late night calls or got him home safe. To be a friend to Michael was no small thing. To all of you I want to say I appreciate and admire you. He was incredibly hard to be a friend to for very long. He helped many of you as well because there were times that God did use Michael to bless others. In his Prison Ministry and employment at Cedar Ridge for sure. Even though I truly believe that suicide is the ultimate selfish act, I know that now... finally, my brother's struggle to be "normal" is over. He is at peace in the arms of Jesus, who never stopped loving him. Even though he was not the best example of a Christ-follower, (but who of us really are anyway) I know that he absolutely knew and loved Jesus, the truly best example we have of real forgiveness. I love you and will see you again one day. by Michael's sister, Sheryl Snider Michael was born April 9, 1958 in Kansas City KS to Larry and Betty Smith. After graduating high school in 1978 in Kansas City, MO, he joined the US Air Force in 1979 and worked on B52 bombers. He had intended to make it a career. He moved to Sunrise Beach, MO in 1989. Michael was preceded in death by his mother May 28, 2014 and father Oct. 29, 2016. He is survived by his sons; Daniel with wife Angie, granddaughter Grace of KCMO and Dustin of Orlando and his sister Sheryl Snider and husband Darel of Plattsburg, MO. Two nieces; Sarah and husband AJ of KCMO, Hannah of Lenexa, KS and nephew Brad of KCMO. Services were held privately.