Smith-Miner Funeral Home has been serving the Midland area community for many years. We’re thankful to be an important part of this community and will continue our longstanding legacy of helping families honor their loved ones.
Mr. Black
Owned and operated the Black Funeral Home in Gladwin from the mid 1850’s until coming to Midland and opening the Black and Bradley Funeral Home in 1908 with A.H. Bradley.
A.H. Bradley
Served his apprenticeship under Mr. Black in 1908 in Gladwin. They moved to Midland, MI in early 1908 where they hung their shingle outside on Main Street as the Black and Bradley Undertakers and Furniture Store until 1926 when A.H. Bradley decided to move the family business to 402 Rodd and Buttles Street where is was named the Bradley Funeral Home. At that time his two sons joined him in the business.
Deke Bradley
Upon returning from WWII, Deke Bradley joined his father in the family business and continued to work there until his death in 1972.
William “Bill” Bradley
After graduating from mortuary school, Bill also joined the family business and continued on until his death in 1994. In 1971 Bill sold the Bradley Funeral Home to Gerald Miner.
Thomas W. Bradley
The grandson of A. H., and son of Bill, also worked in the family business throughout his high school years. He went on to teach for 30 years and then returned to the family business working until he passed in 2014.
Gerald J. Miner
Was a steadfast WWII veteran who graduated from Wayne State University following his service to our country. He served his apprenticeship at the Bradley Funeral Home and then moved to Gladwin where he opened the Miner Funeral Home. After 25 years of being in Gladwin, Gerald came back to Midland in 1971 and purchased the Bradley Funeral Home renaming it the Miner-Bradley Funeral Home where he worked until the time of his death at 95 years of age.
Thomas “Tom” H. Smith
Was the founder of the Ware-Smith Funeral Home in 1964 and owned and operated multiple funeral homes in the Tri-City Area including Ambrose Funeral Home, Squires Funeral Home, Rivertown Funeral Home, Ware-Smith-Reece, Ware-Smith-Sanford, and Ware-Smith Woolver. After his retirement he came to work for the Smith-Miner Funeral Home until the time of his death in 2001.
402 Rodd
Was built in 1878 by a lumber baron in Midland County. It was purchased in 1906 by A.H. Bradley and converted to a working funeral establishment in 1908. It had multiple additions and conversions done to its property over its 100 years of existence. One example would be its carriage house was used as an ambulance attendant garage for many years before it was converted to a funeral chapel in the early 1970’s. Many people still fondly referred to it as a garage. You can find many of it’s architectural features in the new facility at 2700 W. Wackerly Street.