Michael Roy Smith

Michael R. Smith, age 76, transitioned from this temporary life on earth to a glorious eternal life in Heaven on Friday, July 5, 2024. He was born on December 18, 1947 in Indianapolis, Indiana. After graduation at Southport High School, Indianapolis, he attended Indiana University, where he received a BS in marketing and an MBA in Personnel and Organizational Behavior. While at IU, he met and married Cynthia, his beloved wife of 53 years, and thereafter they resided in Louisville, KY. There he advanced in his long career as an executive in Human Resources and general operations for healthcare and not for profit organizations.

Mike had a 45 year long senior executive career in HR, operations and administration. He worked for Humana in numerous leadership positions for 28 years. Following Humana he joined the staff of Southeast Christian Church as an administrator for 10 years. There Mike led most of the ministry support, administrative and HR areas during a time of phenomenal growth of this large church. In 2008 Mike formed his own company, Smith Human Capital Solutions, and for the next 10 years before retirement, conducted leadership training and served in interim assignments for COO/HRVP roles in several companies.

Mike was a gifted leader in high school, college, at home, at church, and at work. Describing himself as being “good at logistics“; he could quickly organize and generate practical efficient systems to get things done in order to implement the vision and purpose others cast for the organizations he served. As a leader, he preferred to connect people and develop their potential. Mike always took great joy in mentoring and coaching inexperienced and growing executives. He also gave to the Louisville community through multiple volunteer opportunities.

A lover of sports, he enjoyed golf, football, and baseball games with his sons and friends. A good father, he guided his sons not only in their athletic skills, but also in character, faith, and career choices. A beloved and wonderful husband and companion, he enjoyed taking Cynthia traveling to beautiful places or often out to dinner. Mike was kind, patient, and unselfish. He was a good listener, and had a way of clarifying or simplifying things, and imparting perspective and wisdom. We will all miss his smile and encouragement. Easy to like, quick to see humor, consistently, friendly, outgoing, talkative, and pleasant; if you ever needed a faithful friend or sidekick, you could do no better.

Pleasant as he was, it wasn’t until he was 35 years old that he, to quote him: “believed that Jesus was who He said He was“. It was 1984 and Mike had had a significant life event with the accidental death of his 15 month old son. Through this event, Mike became a Christian and spent the rest of his personal and professional life serving his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Mike is preceded in death by his parents, James Frank Smith, and Mildred Ostermeier Smith; and his second son, Tyler Anson Smith. 

Mike is survived by his wife, Cynthia Bertrand Smith; two sons, Gabe Smith (Katie) and Adam Smith (Allyson); six grand-children, Gabriel, Katelyn, Charlotte and Elijah Smith (Gabe and Katie); and granddaughters, Hannah and Violet Smith (Adam and Allyson). He is also survived by his paternal cousin Judith Wessling and her daughters, Katherine Wessling, Jenni Forsman and Carolyn Wessling, his second cousins. Other surviving family members are his brother-in-law, Les Bertrand (Mary); and nephew, Brandon Bertrand Stauffer.

Visitation will be from 10am to 12pm on Monday, July 15, 2024 at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals and Receptions, East Louisville Chapel, 235 Juneau Drive, Louisville, Kentucky 40243.  A celebration of Michael's life will follow the visitation at 12pm Monday.  Burial will be private in Cave Hill Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the following:

Southeast Christian Church, Attention: Contributions, 920 Blankenbaker Parkway, Louisville, KY 40243;

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Office of Advancement, 2825 Lexington Rd., Louisville, KY 40208;

or the Samaritans Purse. 

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