Michelle Annette Smith

Michelle Annette Smith, age 52, passed away June 13, 2026, surrounded by her family at Baptist Health Deaconess Hospital, Madisonville, Kentucky, where she had worked as Executive Chef for Morrison Healthcare. Michelle was born February 22, 1974, at St. Johns Hospital, Springfield, Missouri, daughter of William Gene "Billy" Grider and Judy Annette Coats Grider. She grew up in the Bolivar and Mossville area, where she attended Marion C. Early, class of 1992, where her love for culinary art began in Home Economics Class. After graduation, she moved to Springfield, met her husband, started a family, and moved around the United States to various Army bases while stationed in Kentucky. Michelle started Culinary School at Sullivan University, Louisville. While in school, she worked in Sullivan Bakery, and after graduating in 2006, she worked at The Brown Hotel as Lead Banquet Chef, while raising 3 wonderful children who were the light of her life — Mason (1996), Destini (1999), and Seth (2002). Michelle moved back to Bolivar after her divorce, going back to college at Ozark Technical College and Missouri State University to complete her degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Administration in 2014 with a Master's Degree. While attending college, she worked at Big Cedar LLC and Andy Williams Moon River Grill. During that time, she met and married the love of her life, Chad Smith. In 2016, they moved to Alabama, where she worked as Executive Chef for Auburn University for 2 years, then moved to Lewisburg College as Executive Chef in Lewisburg, North Carolina. She became interested in Healthcare, moving to Fairview Park Hospital in Dublin, Georgia, in 2020, later becoming a traveling chef for Morrison Health, setting up policies and procedures for new hospital food services accounts, rewriting recipes, and helping troubleshoot problems for a smooth operating food service department for numerous hospitals across the United States. In 2025, she became Executive Chef at Baptist Health Deaconess, what she called "her dream job." Michelle was an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan, later following Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever — a passion she shared with her sister Melissa. You could hear them both yelling at the TV. She was the loudest and proudest cheerleader for her children, nieces, nephews, and great nephew. She had unconditional love for all of them. Michelle was preceded in death by her father Billy and her Aunt Linda, both of whom were her biggest supporters. She is survived by her mother Judy; her husband and soul mate Chad Smith; her children: daughter Mason, Paul Carter, Andy, and granddaughter Skyler, Cape Fair, Missouri; daughter Destini Price, grandson Luka, Dublin, Georgia; son Seth Price, Branson, Missouri; her sisters: Melissa Sadler, Bolivar; niece Skylee Tyler, sons Jett and Tucker Buzzard, Cantonment, Florida; sister Melinda Dennis Piper, Bolivar, Missouri; nephew Blake, Megan Britain, Springfield, Missouri; Zachary Britain and girlfriend Lori Ely, Bolivar, Missouri; Aunt Helen Allen, Springfield, Missouri; cousins Amy Joy, New York, and Chris Allen and sons, West Virginia. A memorial service for Michelle will be held Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar starting at 1:00 P.M. Memorial donation may be made to the Gideons International.

Michelle Annette Smith

February 22, 1974 - June 13, 2026