Jeffery “Jeff” William Smith passed away on Tuesday night, November 25, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer at the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor, at the age of 57 years old.
Reportedly, he had been fighting cancer for over thirty years and the complications that came with it.
Even with everything cancer threw at him, Jeff never slowed down. He lived to his fullest, purposefully, and on his own terms.
Jeff William Smith is survived by his wife of 29 years, Christine, and their three kids: Carisa, Camden, and Aiden.
Christine and Jeff tied the knot on June 1, 1996. Since that day, he considered every moment a blessing with her by his side.
He also leaves behind his parents, Bill and Janet, brothers Steve (and Nicki) and Danny (and Mindy), and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and in-laws.
Born July 5, 1968, in Saginaw, Jeff grew up in Porter and loved sports from a young age. His passion for sports ignited on the fields of the Porter Little League.
Jeff pitched and played third base for Breckenridge High School, graduating in 1986. Likewise, he also competed on the football field in high school.
Later, it was his athletic skill and determination that led him to continue playing baseball at Saginaw Valley State College.
After leaving college, Jeff worked at Dow Chemical for 16 years before retiring.
Regardless of his cancer diagnosis, Jeff always made time for what he loved, i.e., his passion for baseball.
He played fast-pitch softball for years and helped Tiffany’s out of Frankenmuth win a state championship back in 1993.
Apart from playing, he also coached slow-pitch and took a bunch of championship teams to titles.
Coaching was where he really left his mark. He spent nine seasons as the pitching coach at Delta College and returned this past year to coach at Mid-Michigan College.
In 10 full seasons, he got 48 pitchers’ scholarships to four-year schools.
He always took the kids nobody else wanted and turned them into college players. Guys still call him “Coach Joe” because he lived that “team first” life every single day.
Besides baseball, Jeff loved being outdoors in Michigan’s woods and water.
An avid fisherman, he loved fly-fishing for steelhead, bow hunting (he got a nice seven-point buck this fall),
When he wasn’t outdoors, he would often be found shooting pool. This year alone, he won several pool tournaments across Michigan and fixed cues for half the players in the state.
Jeff told friends not long ago, “If I never play another game of pool, I’m good—I’ve done everything I wanted to do on the table.”
Visitation is scheduled for Monday, December 1, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Lux and Whiting Funeral Chapel in Breckenridge.
Whereas, the funeral will be on Tuesday, December 2, at 11 a.m. at the same place, with burial right after at Ridgelawn Cemetery.
