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Mike Smith, in memory of....

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Franklink said:
You've been missed.
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Thanks Cole. I miss the shooting crowd as well. I find it so difficult to work and maintain a home, play pickleball, exercise, drink wine and still have time to shoot. Maybe someday if I am ever allowed to retire I can get back into it. Life is short, time goes by and then it gone.
 
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One of the last trades I made with Mike before he got real sick was, I gave him a gun he wanted to set up for field target and give to a newbie. In exchange I said just make me a bad ass target. He delivered big time with SACHSQAUCH . A huge field target that will go down with a 177 hit at 75 yards and I can blast him with my .30. cal ! A great trophy I will cherish from a good friend. We will all miss him and his colorful commentary at our TRAC matches . RIP my friend.

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Franklink said:
With heavy heart I share that Mike Smith passed away earlier today, from complications from an ongoing battle with cancer.

He was what I refer to as "a field target friend" and that's the context I'm going to keep for this. I'll let his eulogy be at the funeral.

Mike was the man behind "Mike's Dandy Targets" (MDT Targets) which some of you likely own. These were the smaller version of the heavy duty targets that he and Ben Spencer sold as S&S Targets (I believe the S's were Smith and Spencer). And some of you likely own those too. They're the best field targets I've ever personally experienced. He also made and sold "KYL" Know Your Limits targets, and again, they were the best money could buy.

He was a perfectionist at making targets, and also a perfectionist at shooting. Whether it was field target, benchrest, ultimate field target, 10meter, etc, I can't think of anybody here in AZ that has had more perfect scores in ft matches than Mike. He used to shoot what we call "Unlimited" or "Freestyle" class, essentially using a tripod and a laser rangefinder. He shot a lot of perfect matches that way. Some folks gave him grief about the class he was shooting so he jumped over to Hunter class a couple years ago, trading in for a bipod and using his scope to range at 16x. And he shot a lot of perfect scores in Hunter class too. Folks knew that it was gonna get serious when he pulled out that green and gray Thomas, topped with the Khales scope. And that was one of the things I loved about Mike. He was a serious competitor, but still had lots of fun. He'd be laughing and joking and teasing and still get a perfect score. He was a fun guy to be squadded with. And I'll miss not ever getting to shoot a match squadded with him again.

Lots of texts amongst us Arizona field target shooters went out today, and some of them suggested I make a post about Mike, and other's shared a few thoughts about him. I'd like this to be that, a place for any of the field target crowd that would like to, to comment about him.

And I'll start with an experience that my older son still talks about. Mike and I were squadded together at a monthly match at the Perry Pit match site, just south of Flagstaff, AZ. This would have been around 5 years ago, making my son about 5 at the time. Colben hadn't started competing yet, but he'd keep score for me and my squadmate. Throughout the whole match Mike complimented Colben about how good of a score-keeping job he was doing. And of course it was a bit tongue in cheek, but a 5 year doesn't pick up on stuff like that. At the end of the match, Mike presented Colben with a $1 dollar bill and told him he deserved to be paid for keeping score for us the whole match. Coulda been $100 dollar bill for all that 5 year old cared, and Colben would have been just as ecstatic. Mike made Colben's day, and mine too. Since then, and at any match Colben attended with me, Mike would always walk up and shake Colben's hand and treat him like any other "field target friend" despite his young age. Mike was Colben's friend just as much as mine.

Me and Colben are gonna miss Mike at matches.
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Mike IS the reason i got into field target.... i traveled from Mobile Al to Gilbert AZ to not only meet Mike but to buy 20 of his used targets. Mike then took me to a match the next day at Ben Avery Range and sat with me the whole match teaching me how to shoot field target with a gun i had never touched or shot before. Mike shall be missed.

this is the last target mike made for me: the Ghost with the heart KZ in pic.

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pesty3782 said:
Mike gave Barbara her nickname 5 Power…..She shot her very first EFT match with Mike as her partner. Barbara had the standing lane first and dialed her scope to 5X….Throughout the entire match she shot on 5 power forgetting to turn it up…Only on the last lane did Mike realize what happened. Next match Mike came up to her calling her 5 Power….Barbara had her new nickname…And she wears it proudly on her team shirt.

‘’Tony P
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On that first standing lane Mike thought I was a ringer because I hit 3 out of 4. Then I proceeded to start missing on almost every lane! I kept telling Mike that I didn't understand this "kill zone" everyone was talking about. I didn't know what to shoot on the target because I couldn't see it. Finally by the last lane he is describing the kill zone precisely and asking "don't you see the bolts on the target?" I told him "no" and he finally asks....."What power is your scope on?!!" I had shot the entire match on 5 power! I at least got 14 of the 40 shots. He never called me anything else after that.... 5 Power stuck! LOL
 
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Mike's daughter Chelsie here. This thread hasn't been active since right he left us so I am unsure if anyone will see this, but I wanted to leave his obituary here for you all. He thought so highly of this community and truly enjoyed the matches and making targets. He taught me to weld and I had been helping him with the targets for the last year or so. I hoping to continue to roll those out for you all as things calm down.

I loved reading through all your stories - thank you for sharing. We miss him so much.

Mike Smith Sr. Obituary
 
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Thanks Chelsie, great to hear that you may be carrying on with making your dad’s targets, they are really top notch. We sure miss Mike, I was thinking about him while shooting last Saturday at a night meet at the Phoenix Rod and Gun Range near South Mountain, I know he really liked those night events, and I think he still holds the pellet record.

Scott
 
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Smurf said:
Mike's daughter Chelsie here. This thread hasn't been active since right he left us so I am unsure if anyone will see this, but I wanted to leave his obituary here for you all. He thought so highly of this community and truly enjoyed the matches and making targets. He taught me to weld and I had been helping him with the targets for the last year or so. I hoping to continue to roll those out for you all as things calm down.

I loved reading through all your stories - thank you for sharing. We miss him so much.

Mike Smith Sr. Obituary
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Hi Chelsie
This is Rudy, many of us are talking about Mike in different private conversations
Yes we miss him too and we look forward to seeing the skills that your dad shared with you.
 
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Thank you for posting this @Smurf

Never had the pleasure of meeting Mike in person, but conversed with him quite a bit before & after he (& may be you?) made several targets for me. They are so well made it's hard to imagine wearing one out by normal usage.
He would follow up after each one delivered to make sure I was happy with it, which of course I was. Sent him photos & video of my youngest stepdaughter shooting the first one, & he was thrilled that a youngster was enjoying it. When I got more of them he would always ask how well she liked them. She made stop motion "movies" with them too, sent him one & he really got a kick out of it! Sasquatch, a frog, a scorpion, & a poop emoji, with Mr. Poop as the hero of course.

So very sorry to hear of your loss.

Greg
 
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XSUltimate said:
Great to hear from you Chelsie and SO terribly sorry for your loss! Mike was, well,,,,he was Mike! and we all loved him, Nuff said!! Cherish your memories of the time shared with him and celebrate his life. That is what he would have said to do as well!!!!! I love this photo of him, says it all!
Thx
Dan
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I love this photo so much. I believe Mark K. took it and I am forever grateful for him sharing it.
 
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Hi Crew! I am not sure how many of you are local, but I wanted to let you know that we will be having a celebration of life for Dad on 09/28. If you'd like the to attend, please shoot me a message on here and I will get you the address or text Dad's phone directly and we will get you the info.


Details:

When: September 28, 2024
Location: North Peoria - 85383

In honor of Mike Smith, we invite you to a joyful celebration as he requested. This is not meant to be a somber occasion, but a lively gathering to celebrate his life.

We'll be serving his favorite finger foods and drinks. Come share a story, enjoy a Diet Coke, and celebrate the wonderful moments we had with him.

We're looking forward to seeing you and hearing your stories!
-Donna, Chelsie, & Mike Jr.
 
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