Dale H. Smith

Dale Howard Smith, 83, of Houghton Lake, MI, passed away at his home surrounded by loved ones on March 27th, 2025. Born in Detroit, MI, Dale lived a life defined by service, hard work and a deep love for his family. 

Dale served as a deputy for the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Department for 14 years, earning recognition in 1970 for saving a woman’s life through CPR. He was also a proud member of the Houghton Lake Dive Rescue Team and a member of the local fire department. After his time in law enforcement, Dale built a thriving business, Dale’s Auto Body, which he later passed down to his son, Jimmy.

A true car enthusiast, Dale spent his free time collecting and restoring historical automobiles. He traveled with his family to car shows, winning hundreds of trophies—though for him, the time spent with loved ones meant far more than the awards. In 1985, he was honored to serve as the Marshal of Tip Up Town USA.

Dale had a natural gift for fixing anything and solving any problem that came his way. His passion for racing led to a successful career at Merritt Speedway. When Dale stopped racing himself, he worked on the track as a flag man and a tow truck driver. Passing down his love for racing, he supported Jimmy as Jimmy built his own racing career. In later years, he found joy in watching the races with his family and cheering on 6M. 

Dale is survived by his sons, Jimmy (Cathy) Smith, Greg (Kristen) Smith, and Kody (Kelsey) Smith; daughters, Debbie Giles, and Dawn Dale; and his grandchildren, Christopher, Derek, Josh, Allie, Boston, Sierra, Johnathan, Nicholas, Joshua, Brandon, and Alexandra.

The family will greet friends at Christler Funeral Home-Houghton Lake Chapel on Wednesday April 2, 2025 from 3 pm - 7 pm. 

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