Leo Homer Smith, was born March 12, 1903 in South Bend as Leo Otolski. To his parents Mathias and Pauline Otolski he was the youngest of five children born to the couple. It said when he was 16 he left home which was around 1919. Years later he would change his name from Otolski to Smith. Because he didn't get along with his father. He worked in the freighter boats of the great lakes. It would be his chosen career for the rest of his life. He meet his first wife Alvernia Kitchen sometime in the 1920s. They married November 1, 1926 in Alvernia's hometown in Cheboygan, Michigan. Soon after their marriage they made their home in South Bend, Indiana. They live there for about six years before moving back to Alvernia's hometown of Cheboygan, MI. While living in South Bend, they had their first two daughters. Soon after Alvernia gave birth to her second daughter. The young family moved back to Alvernia's hometown. Their finally two children a son and another daughter would soon follow. Making them a family of six. Alvernia, died in her sleep at home on August 25, 1949, she was only 41 and she left not only a grieving husband of almost 23 years of marriage. But four children who would miss having their mother in their life. He decided to go back to work on the Freighters of the Great Lakes. His children were left to raise themselves mostly with the help of their mother's family. While Homer, worked most of the time. A couple of years later he would find love and happiness again. He married his second wife Millie, in spring around 1959/1960. He died on November 30th 1965 at the age of 62. While on one of the Freighters he was on while pulling into port in Lorian,Ohio he suffered a heart attack. It was his last day before his retirement. His body was taken back to Cheboygan for the funeral services. After the funeral services his body was then taken to West Palm Beach, Florida for burial at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery. His wife Millie, is buried along side her husband.
Beside his wife Millie, of five or six years of marriage. His survivors were his three daughters Mrs. Leona Smith, her husband (Elbert) of Chattanooga, Tenn, Miss Barbara Smith of Cheboygan, 1st Lt. Elaine Smith of the Air Force station in Maxwell, Alabama, one son Mr. Donald Smith, his wife (Margaret) of St. Louis, Mo., seven grandchildren, Robert, Donald and Vicki Smith of Chattanooga, Tenn, Thomas and Mary Smith of Cheboygan, Diane and Denise Smith of St. Louis, Mo., mother-in-law Minnie Kitchen of Cheboygan, a sister Sophia Kruszewski of South Bend, Ind., and brother Burt Otolski of Chicago, Il. Several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Mathias and Pauline Otolski, his first wife Alvernia, grandchild Ronald Smith a older brother William Otolski, older sister Lillian Rozycki and father-in-law Charles Kitchen.