Pastor Rick Smith

Roderick (Rick) Smith Born July 22, 1948 to James and Avis Smith in Battle Creek, Michigan, Rick went to be with the Lord on May 18, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. He and his wife, Judy (White) Smith were currently residing in Castalian Springs, Tennessee.

 

He was a 1966 graduate of Athens, Michigan, High School and received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy-Religion from Spring Arbor College (now University), Spring Arbor, Michigan, in 1970. He completed his Master of Divinity degree in 1973 and his Doctor of Ministry degree in 1995, both from Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana. While a student at Spring Arbor College, Rick met and married Judy White, his wife of nearly 50 years.

 

Rick began his career as a pastor at Skiff Lake Bible Church in Clarklake, Michigan and served there from 1973 through 1979. He then served as pastor at Christian Fellowship Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama from 1980 through 1984. He concluded his pastoral career at Calvary Baptist Church, Leesburg, Indiana, serving from 1984 until retirement in 2010. During his years as a pastor, he and Judy served in short-term ministry in several foreign countries. That service was furthered when he and Judy joined Biblical Ministries Worldwide, Lawrenceville, Georgia in 2012 and continued until the time of his death.

 

He was preceded in death by his parents and Judy’s parents, Paul and Betsy White, and his brother-in-law, John Tjepkema. Rick is survived by his wife, Judy, his children Jill Smith Knutson and husband, Chad, and Matthew Smith and wife, Lupita. He was the proud grandfather of Clara and Janny Knutson and Roderick (Ricky), Enoch, and Linda Smith. He is also survived by his siblings, sister Kevin and husband, Terry Henckel, brother Dorian and wife, Dyanne Smith, and sister Kristen and husband, John Fantin, Judy’s sister, Jan Tjepkema, and her sisters and brother’s-in-law, Joan and Fred Pekrul and Jerie and Mike Dyer. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.