Julie A. Smith

Julie A. Smith, 67, of East Lansing died on Friday, May 28, 2021 at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing where she was taken after being stricken at home.

Julie was born February 5, 1954 in Marshall to Philip R. and Eleanor L. (Wilbur) Smith. She attended Marshall Public School and was a member of the Marshall High School 1972 graduating class. Julie then enrolled in Kellogg Community College and after 2 years transferred to Michigan State University. She graduated from MSU in 1976 with a BA in Psychology.

After her MSU graduation she started working for Haslett Child Development Center and was a lead teacher for 25 years. Then she became the Religious Education Director for St. Casimir Catholic Church in Lansing. She was forced to retire after 5 years due to ill health, suffering from fibromyalgia.

Julie was a very devoted and active member of St. Casimir Catholic Church. For many years she would work on the many events the church sponsored. Julie was a voracious reader. She loved sports watching them faithfully on television, especially MSU.
Julie is survived by her cousins Nancy (Doug) Spooner of Holland and Gregory (Diane) Rushford of Barnegat, New Jersey; great nieces and great nephews; and her friend of 45 years Karen Semperger of East Lansing, and Karen's niece Nicole Melancon and nephew Brendan Sempberger who Karen and Julie took into their home and raised.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial mass will be held in Lansing and a graveside committal will be on Wednesday, June 9, at 2PM in Riverside Cemetery in Tekonsha, where she will be laid to rest next to her mother Eleanor with days and times to be announced at a later date.

Arrangements were entrusted to Kempf Family Funeral and Cremation Services, 723 US HWY 27 N., Marshall, MI 49068.

To leave the family a personal message visit www.kempffuneralhome.com.