Rev. Dr. Robert Smith (STH ’58) Passed on February 28, 2019
Rev. Dr. Robert Smith (STH ’58) passed on February 28, 2019 at the age of 85.
Rev. Robert Smith was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He did his undergraduate work at Tuskegee Institute. While at Tuskegee he discovered a young lady in the incoming freshman class. They began a loving relationship and finally married in 1956. To that union were born two children, Robert Ernest, and Carolyn Jeanette; both born in Boston, Massachusetts.
In 1959, they began serving Riverside Park Methodist Church in Indianapolis. He was the first African-American to be received into Full Connection in the Indiana Conference.
In 1966, Robert took an appointment to serve as Director of Religious Extension Service, sponsored jointly by Tuskegee Institute and the National Council of Churches of Christ. He had a few close calls with the KKK in the rural areas where he was helping to organize Black pastors and their communities.
In February 1968, after the Watts Riot, he was invited by the late Dr. Irwin Trotter to come to Watts to serve LA:St. John’s. He loved a challenge and was in equal to the task.
In 1969, Rev. Mr. Smith was elected Chair of the Urban Department of the Conference Board of Missions. For eight years he gave leadership to the whole urban missional strategies for the Annual Conference. At the same time, their second daughter, Darlene Frederica, was born.
After leaving LA: Wesley and the San Diego superintendency, he served Long Beach: Los Altos as the first cross-racial senior pastor for this Church. After only one year, he was invited to go to Harlem by Bishop Roy Nichols. After serving four years in Harlem, Bishop Jack Tuell invited him to the California-Pacific Annual Conference as Council Director in 1988. One year later, he was asked to serve as District Superintendent of the Los Angeles District. He did this for six years while going through cancer surgery and radiation therapy, along with all of the side effects.
Throughout his ministry it has been said that he was dedicated to the Church and to God and has been a great influence in so many lives. He was indeed a beloved servant of God who now has been welcomed into Heaven.
Rev. Smith is survived by two sisters, Ms. Ethelyn Ming and Mrs. Jimmye Lou Hagins (Milton), three children: Robert E. Smith (Mary Ann), Carolyn J. Ortega (Tommy) and Darlene F. Goins (Vernon); eleven grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
To God be the glory.