Michael John Smith

Michael "Mike" Smith of St. James, Minnesota, passed away on May 27, 2026, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. He was 82 years old.

Born November 20, 1943, in St. Paul, he graduated from Cretin High School before attending the University of Minnesota, eventually earning his bachelor's degree in management accounting. Before achieving this milestone, he married Janet "Jan" Zbytovsky on November 28, 1964. They had been married for 61½ years at his death.

While working with various companies, the family lived in West St. Paul and Lewiston before moving to St James when he joined Scherr-Tumico (later S-T Industries). After 'retirement', Mike began driving bus for the St. James school district, which he continued until his illness. He enjoyed the contact with kids on his regular daily route but liked perhaps even more the sports trips where he could watch the athletes. When the girls tennis team, whom he had driven for years, won the state high school championship, it was a real highlight for him.

Mike and Jan raised 2 daughters, becoming a fixture at all their high school events, and then continued the tradition attending as many of their 4 grandchildren's events as they could squeeze in.

A true St. Paul native, Mike was a hockey devotee. He missed only one Minnesota High School Hockey Tournament (and vowed to never miss another) since 1964. He and Jan were Mankato University Maverick season ticket holders, sometimes even travelling to away games.

In his later years, Mike became interested in ducks; then joined Jan as a bird enthusiast. They combined their shared birding interest with his love of travel by going on several international birding tours. Their lifetime bird list has more than 2500 species, and they visited all 50 states and over 50 countries.

Other hobbies and interests included music (especially classical), craft beer (especially hazy IPAs), reading (especially historical), photography, baseball, collecting (stamps, rocks, duck decoys), and chocolate!

As an avid exerciser in excellent health (he was on a single prescription medication!), his sudden illness and death by giant cell myocarditis were a shock. He will be dearly missed.

Mike was preceded in death by his mother Dorothy Smith, father Shirley Smith, brothers Richard "Dick" Kustelski and Terrence "Terry" Smith, and granddaughter Michelle Keating. He is survived by his wife Jan, daughters Bonnie (Shawn) Keating and Lisa (Jody) Wellman, and grandchildren Merissa Wellman, Carolyn Keating, Cole Wellman, and Rachel Keating.

Those wishing to honor Mike are asked to donate to one of his favorite causes:
University of Minnesota Raptor Center
Friends of the Boundary Waters
The Nature Conservancy