Joe D. Smith

Monday, December 15, 2014

Joe D. Smith died Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, in Dallas, Texas.

He was born on July 19, 1937, to Claude and Ella Smith, near Mead, Oklahoma, where he grew up and graduated from high school in 1955. He married his high school sweetheart, Mary Rose Slaten on Feb 2, 1957, in Silo, Oklahoma. Joe was ordained into the ministry to proclaim the Gospel in 1958. He then attended Decatur Bible College and Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and served as pastor of Southern Baptist Churches in north Texas and southeast Missouri for nearly 60 years.

He and Rose spent 20 years in Cooter as pastor of Holy Grove Baptist Church. He was proud of his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and all that knew him experienced his joy and were encouraged to trust in and live for Jesus.

Joe was preceded in death by his brothers, Alton, Alfred, Orville, Harris and Tarp; his parents; his in-laws, Laura and Jim Slaten; Howard Slaten; and one grandson, Casey Joe Smith.

He is survived by his wife Rose of Dyersburg, Tennessee;

A son, Tim Smith and wife Dr. Connie Smith, and children Cole, Cory, Chelsea and Cassidy, also of Tennessee;

His daughters, Melodie Young, and her husband Gary and family, Amie, Carder and Chaney of Dallas; and Alisa Peterson and her husband Allan of Garland, Texas;

In-laws Dale and Nancy Ballard of Silo, Gordon and Ann Yoder of Colorado, Ruth Slaten of Silo and Joyce Smith of New Mexico; and

Numerous nieces and nephews and beloved friends throughout the country.

Local services were Wednesday at Holy Grove Baptist Church in Cooter.

Family visitation was Friday at Holmes Murray in Durant, Oklahoma, with the funeral Saturday at Silo Baptist Church, with internment to following also in Silo.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Bro. Joe's memory for his beloved "church camp" in Van Buren, Missouri, through the Southeast Missouri Baptist Association, P O Box 551 Hayti, MO 63851, or to your local church.