Funeral for Pentwater Fire Chief Paul Smith set for Sunday.

Funeral for Pentwater Fire Chief Paul Smith set for Sunday.

PENTWATER — The funeral service for Pentwater Fire Chief Paul Smith will be Sunday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. at Pentwater Public School with Pastor Mark Lillie of Pentwater First Baptist Church officiating. 

A public safety procession and graveside service at Pentwater Township Cemetery will immediately follow.  

Smith died at his home Tuesday night, Nov. 16, after battling cancer. 

People who knew Smith describe him as a person who was always willing to help residents in the Village of Pentwater and Pentwater Township. 

“He will truly be missed by our whole community,” said Pentwater Village President Jeff Hodges. 

Village Manager Chris Brown agreed, saying, “He will leave a large void in our community.” 

“Chief Smith enjoyed the challenges of extinguishing fire so much so that he expressed concerns of holding higher level chief officer positions and no longer being able to put on an air pack and go inside fires,” said former longtime Pentwater Fire Chief Terry Cluchey. “He loved the challenge.” 

Assistant Fire Chief Ray Hasil described Smith as having a tireless work ethic. “Once he went into a fire, he didn’t want out. He would come out of fires as red as a beet, cool off with a bottle of water, and go back in.”  

Hasil has been acting fire chief during Smith’s illness and will continue as acting chief until a permanent replacement is voted on by department members in February of 2022.  

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