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Former Cunningham Drug president Stewart Smith passes

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GROSSE ILE, Mich. — Stewart Smith, a former president of the now-defunct drug chain Cunningham Drug Stores, passed away earlier this month at age 89.

His daughter, Alison Hurley, said in an email that Smith died at his home in Grosse Ile, Mich., on March 23. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Veronica, and their six children and 13 grandchildren.

Smith was born and raised in Wyandotte, Mich. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a quartermaster third-class on the U.S.S. Mobile from 1944-46, serving in the Pacific theater during World War II. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in 1949 and earned a law degree in 1952.

He started his career with Cunningham Drug in 1952 in the real estate department and later rose through the ranks to become the drug chain’s president.

Detroit-based Cunningham Drug, founded in 1889 by Andrew Cunningham, operated mainly in Michigan but had locations in several other states, including Florida. At one time, the retailer was Michigan’s largest drug chain. The Michigan locations were closed and reopened in 1982 as Apex Drug and later were sold to Perry Drug Stores, which was acquired by Rite Aid in 1995. The last Cunningham stores remained open in Florida until 1991, when they were acquired by Walgreens.

Hurley said Smith was a leader in the Grosse Ile business community. As the first chairman of the Grosse Ile Airport Commission, he was instrumental in the transition of the Grosse Ile Naval Air Station to the modern Grosse Ile Municipal Airport in 1971. He also was a leading commercial developer and led efforts to bring various retail venues to Grosse Ile, including the Kroger supermarket on Macomb Street and the Grosse Ile shopping center.

“Stewart’s favorite thing was to go shopping at ‘his Kroger store,’ ” Hurley said in the email.


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