Michael Duane Smith, a long-time resident of Ponca City passed away on April 11th, 2020 after a courageous, eight-year battle with a cruel, degenerative, neurological disease. He was 61. A Celebration of Life will be held from 11 am - 2 pm, Saturday, July 17, 2021, in the Fireside Room at the Carolyn Renfro Center. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505 W. Grand Ave, Ponca City, OK 74601.

Mike was born on December 29, 1958, in Ponca City to Janet Reeves - Smith and Donald J. Smith. He attended school during his formative years in Oklahoma City, Ponca City and Lawrence, Kansas, graduating from Lawrence High School, Class of 1977, before returning to Ponca City to put down roots. Following high school, he attended classes at Pioneer Technology Center, following in his grandfather’s footsteps, working in building and carpentry. He also attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College and began working for Conoco in Ponca City, spending almost 30 years in the Research and Development Department; including the transfer to Bartlesville, Ok with ConocoPhillips.

Mike, the loving, quiet, intelligent and first guy to give you the shirt off his back if you needed it was also the consummate prankster, seizing every available opportunity to “get” those he loved and cared about. When he wasn’t working on remodeling his house or helping others do “fixer-upper” projects he loved making salsa, so much that he started a business, Odessa’s Best Salsa, which was sold in local groceries for several years. Friends and family always looked forward to the holidays and special occasions when he would stop by and bring them some. Mike also enjoyed weightlifting, feeding and watching his birds, riding his motorcycle, bicycle and working in his yard.

Mike is survived by his three children, Josh Williams, Odessa Smith, Jacob Smith and wife Laura; as well as, four grandchildren, Gracie Williams, Garrett Williams, Madalynn Williams and Rowdy Garcia; brother Brad Smith and wife, Melissa; sister, Tracy Smith; half-sister, Jamie Swartzbaugh and husband, Mark; step-sister, Suzan Lohnes and husband, Randy; step-brother, Scott Erhart and wife, Vicki; Godmother, Beverly Kirchmeyer Smith; nieces, Taylor, Molly, Kylie; nephews, Brady and Hunter; second-cousins, Jimmy Don and Helen Reeves, and numerous cousins in the Ponca City and Oklahoma City areas.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Janet Reeves Erhart; father, Donald Joe Smith; stepfather, Andrew Paul Erhart and granddaughter, Maci Jo Garcia.

Paid Obituary