This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/JW.2ADE/8341 Message Board Post: News Review newspaper Ridgecrest CA Kern County June 8, 2005 MICHAEL E. SMITH Cdr. Michael E. Smith (USNR) died unexpectedly May 30, 2005 while he was participating in a Memorial Day parade in Canoga Park with the Old West Mounted Lawmen's Association from Ridgecrest. He was 53. A memorial service with full military honors will be held Friday, June 10, at 11 am at the All Faith Chapel, China Lake. Mike was born Feb. 4, 1952 to Kenneth Ivan and Betty Jean Smith. He began his career with the government in the mid-1970s as a Forest Service engineer in San Dimas. He then transferred to Port Hueneme, working for the RAM project, then the VLA Project. As Operation Iraqi Freedom began, Mike served at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, where he remained on active duty for three months. He was an engineer with TDM/RAIDER at China Lake between March 2002 and the time of his death. He served as a commander in the active U.S. Naval Reserve Unit at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey. While residing in Ridgecrest, Mike was president of the Coso Dog Fanciers of California. He was an avid equestrian, entering many parades with the Old West Mounted Lawmen's Association, riding his horse Tanner or mule Gunner. Mike was a skilled craftsman, hiker and camper and enjoyed many toys such as his '57 Chevy Bel-Air and his boat moored in Oxnard Harbor. He was fortunate to have been able to travel the world with the Naval Reserve and his government positions. Ridgecrest was quick to become Mike's true home as he loved the desert, its beautiful sunsets and its starry nights. He is survived by his wife Harriet Luzinas-Smith of Ridgecrest, his daughter Christina Dietz of Ridgecrest and her four sons Andrew, Michael, Ryan and Evan, his daughter Laura of Atlanta, Ga., his daughter Melissa of Atlanta, G., and her children Kenneth, Shaun and Kaylee Rose, and his daughter Teresa Ann of Wellington, Ohio and her children Anastacia, Michael, David and Jordan. His surviving sons are Dennis, wife Julie and children Ciara and Arianna of Woodland Park, Colo., and Daniel McGuire and wife Carrieann of Wiesbaden, Germany. He is also survived by his mother Betty Jean Smith and sister Kenelene Heaton both of Victorville. He was preceded in death by his father Kenneth Ivan Smith. Mike will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. Submitted by the family of Michael Smith