Beatrice Rose Smilnak

Beatrice (Bea) Smilnak (nee: Alinosi), Macomb Township, died peacefully on November 8, 2022, surrounded by family at McClaren Macomb Hospital in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. She was born on March 4, 1933 in Detroit, daughter of the late Giovanni and the late Elizabeth Alinosi.

Bea was the beloved wife of 64 years to the late John Smilnak. Loving mother of Steven (Bobbi), Gloria (Norman), John (Julie) and Brian (Shelly). Devoted grandmother of Sara, Gordon, Andrew and Victoria. Sister of the late Aleanor (Richard), the late Genevieve (Tony), the late Mary (Henry), the late Joann (Donald). She is also survived by several loving nieces and nephews and is also a great aunt and a great-great aunt.

Bea graduated from Busch High School in Center Line in 1951 and worked briefly after graduation at Dodge Truck working a comptometer. She then married her high school sweetheart John in 1955 and they settled down in Warren, Michigan to raise a family.

A loving wife, mother and grandmother, Bea's life was full of responsibilities and demands, but none more important and vital than the love and care of her family. While her husband John was working multiple jobs to provide for the family, Bea remained home raising their four children with love and care. Bea wore many hats while raising the children. She was everything from: mom, cook, maid, doctor, nurse, chauffeur, disciplinarian (when duty called) even an veterinarian to her dog Penny. Bea was the "glue" that held the family together while John was busy working.

Along with her many responsibilities at home, she found the time to volunteer at her children's elementary school during lunch time was always there to help them with their homework after school.

Later in life, Bea loved to do crafts and enjoyed entering her creations into arts and craft competitions with her husband under the name of JOHN "B" CRAFTY CREATIONS. Together they entered numerous competitions spanning many years and won over 15 prize ribbons at the Michigan State Fair and over 70 prize ribbons at the Armada State Fair, including "Best of Show" in 2004. Their prize ribbons still hang proudly on display in her home.

For 24 years, the family had a cottage at Houghton Lake and while John drove back and forth during the summer months to keep working, Bea was in charge at the lake. While keeping house, she also kept up with the maintenance of the old place. The kids will always remember how she constantly had a paint brush in her hand. Whether it was the painting the walls or the dock, if you were standing still, would be painted too!

Bea was very proud of her grandchildren and among her joys was celebrating their achievements, attending their high school and college graduations, and making things for them as gifts. She also loved celebrating the holidays with them in her house and cooking meals for the family. At Christmas time, she made her famous Date Cakes and at Easter she would bake her homemade Walnut Rolls and Poppy Seed Bread.

Her life was a blessing and her memory a treasure. She is loved beyond words and will be missed beyond measure.