Mary Kay (Woods) Smiley

Mary Kay Smiley, 89, of Sun City, Arizona, passed away on January 11, 2024. She was born to Doyle Woods and Katherine [Hahn] Lamirand, on November 19, 1934, in Detroit, Michigan. In her youth, she developed a loving bond with her stepfather, Walter Lamirand. She will be remembered for her strong leadership skills, joy of engaging with friends, and deep love of her family. Mary devoted a significant amount of time working on family history, tracing the family’s ancestors back to Revolutionary War times when such work was done by visiting libraries, and cemeteries and corresponding with aging relatives. In her autobiography, she wrote that her greatest desire was to leave this world having helped make it better than when she entered it. Mary graduated from Mackenzie High School in Detroit, Michigan in 1952. That same year she met the love of her life Thomas “Tom” Smiley. They were married the following year on June 20, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan. Mary and Tom were inseparable. They raised two children together, loved to travel, and were always each other's greatest advocates. Mary furthered her education by earning an associate's degree from Harper College in Palatine, Illinois in 1977. Mary had a fulfilling career at Kraft Foods, where she excelled as the Manager of the Sensory Evaluation Department and earned several prestigious company awards. After 17 years of dedicated service at Kraft, she retired in 1993. Mary was actively involved in her community. As a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Surprise, Arizona, she found solace and friendship. She served as the President of the Church from 2001 to 2003, dedicating her time and energy to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment. Mary also served as President of the Sun City/West Valley Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), where she advocated for equal opportunities for women and the principles of fairness for all. Mary was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her daughter, JoAnn [Lee] Hartman of Aurora, Illinois, and son, Michael [Norma, nee Gilstrap] Smiley of Heber City, Utah. Mary was cherished by her seven grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Thomas Eugene Smiley.