Brent’s Story

1967

Brent Ramon Smith was born

Brent Ramon Smith was born in 1967 to Kent and Janet Smith. He had a younger sister, Stacy, and his older brother Kent Jr. passed away two days after he was born.

1981-1985

Brent attended Valley Lutheran High School

Valley is also where he met who would become the love of his life, and wife, Mary Atkins. He graduated from Valley in 1985 and went on to Delta where he got his associates while working for his parents at their company, Online Realtors.

1989

Got Married

Brent and Mary reconnected when she was in college at Concordia Ann Arbor. They fell in love and got married in 1989 on June 24th.

1994

Rebecca was born

Mary and Brent welcomed their first child, Rebecca on May 27th, 1994.

1997

Andrew was born

They welcomed their second child, Andrew on May 22 1997.

1999

Zachery was born

They had their last child, Zachery on May 10, 1999.

2008

Road Trips

Brent and Mary loved taking the kids on trips throughout Michigan and some big trips throughout the United States. Brent made it a priority to be at his kids special events. For Rebecca it was performing and academics, for Andrew it was music and hunting, and for Zachery it was sports and music. He was always seen wearing his dress shirt and tie sitting in the bleachers at their many events.

2017

Brent R. Smith Passed

Brent sadly passed away on March 3rd 2017 and since then all who knew and loved him have been honoring him and keeping his memory alive and this scholarship is one way they do that.

1967

Brent Ramon Smith was born

Brent Ramon Smith was born in 1967 to Kent and Janet Smith. He had a younger sister, Stacy, and his older brother Kent Jr. passed away two days after he was born.

1981-1985

Brent attended Valley Lutheran High School

Valley is also where he met who would become the love of his life, and wife, Mary Atkins. He graduated from Valley in 1985 and went on to Delta where he got his associates while working for his parents at their company, Online Realtors.

1989

Got Married

Brent and Mary reconnected when she was in college at Concordia Ann Arbor. They fell in love and got married in 1989 on June 24th.

1994

Rebecca was born

Mary and Brent welcomed their first child, Rebecca on May 27th, 1994.

1967

Andrew was born

They welcomed their second child, Andrew on May 22, 1997.

1967

Zachery was born

They had their last child, Zachery on May 10, 1999.

2008

Road Trips

Brent and Mary loved taking the kids on trips throughout Michigan and some big trips throughout the United States. Brent made it a priority to be at his kids special events. For Rebecca it was performing and academics, for Andrew it was music and hunting, and for Zachery it was sports and music. He was always seen wearing his dress shirt and tie sitting in the bleachers at their many events.

2017

Brent R. Smith Passed

Brent sadly passed away on March 3rd, 2017 and since then all who knew and loved him have been honoring him and keeping his memory alive and this scholarship is one way they do that.

Brent R. Smith Scholarship

The Brent R. Smith Scholarship goes to a senior at Valley Lutheran Highschool who lost a parent or guardian during their time at Valley. This scholarship goes towards their continuing education whether it be college or trades school. Currently it is a $1,000 scholarship, however we hope to see this grow as we build the scholarship and its following.

Sadly, there have been multiple students who have received this scholarship since we started giving it in 2022. We also are very close with another student who will be a recipient in 2025 as his father passed away in 2022 when he was 15.

We wish this scholarship was never given out, however, having been in a similar situation, we know how much this scholarship will impact those receiving it.

The Brent R. Smith Scholarship has been started in memory of a loving father, husband, and friend who passed away unexpectedly in 2017. He was a man that lived by three main values: Faith, Family, and Friends.

The Brent R. Smith Scholarship was founded by Zachery Smith, Brent’s youngest son (Class of ‘17), and his wife, Mary Smith (Class of ‘84). The reason this scholarship has been started is because of the difference someone made in their lives in 2017. Zachery received a private scholarship to help him with the costs for college. It was not the amount that made a difference, it was the reminder that there were people there for him and that he was not alone in those extremely difficult times. This gesture is what has inspired the Brent. R. Smith Scholarship.

If you would like to help support this scholarship, please consider making a donation or sponsoring the BRS Golf outing today.