William Louis "Bill" Smith

Reverend William Louis ""Bill"" Smith, age 83 of Long Beach, passed away on September 22, 2013 in Gulfport. He was born December 16, 1929, in Amite County, MS.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude B. and Jody Gunby Smith (Josephine Camelia); his mother-in-law, Odessa Brand; his brother, Clayton Smith; his sister, Wilhemina Rollins; his son-in-law, Dwight Gladfelter; and his great-granddaughter, Grace Mann.
He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Carolyn Brand Smith; his children, Jeanne E. Smith and her husband, Wayne Sposato, Mary Anne Smith and her husband, Jerald Williams, William L. Smith, Jr. and his wife, Marina Ford, Claude B. Smith and his wife, Georgia Emory, Mirian Delfiol Smith and her husband, Márcio Viera, and David F. Smith and his wife, Bea Ludwig; his grandchildren, Jennifer Shoemake, Rebecca Shoemake Mann and her husband, Chris, Rachel Shoemake, Katharine Gladfelter, Erica Ludwig Riggan and her husband, Kyle, Anne Gladfelter, Kayla Smith, Mathew Viera, Mitchell Viera, Ian Smith, Lydia Smith, Wyatt Smith, and Moira Smith; his great-grandchildren, Gabriel Gladfelter Flores, Emma Riggan, and Bridgeman Mann. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and many children ""in the faith"".
Bill attended Amite County Schools, Centerville, and graduated from Magnolia High School in 1947. He attended Mississippi State University from 1947-1949; graduated from Mississippi College, Clinton, in 1951; and graduated from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in June 1954.
He was ordained in 1950 at the Glading Baptist Church, Magnolia, MS and served as Pastor from 1950-1952. He served as Pastor of the Harmony Hall Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA; was Pastor of the Fellowship Baptist Church, Ocala, FL from 1957-1959; was Pastor of the Plymouth Baptist Church, Plymouth, FL from 1959-1963. He served as Chaplain for Quality Hospice, Gulfport from 1994-2001; and he served as Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Pass Christian from 2000-2013.
On March 14, 1963, Reverend Smith was appointed by the Foreign Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention, for South Brazil. He attended the School of the Portuguese Language and Orientation, 1963-1964; and served as field missionary, Londrina, Paraña, Brazil from October 1965 to October 1993. He retired in 1994 from the International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention.
On September 11, 1993, he was honored by the City of Londrina, Paraña, Brazil, with the ""Comenda Ouro Verde"", the highest possible honor that can be conferred on a non-citizen of Brazil.
A visitation will be held on Friday, September 27, 2013 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at the First Baptist Church of Pass Christian. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2013 at 10:00 AM at the church with a visitation for family and friends from 9:00 AM until the service. The graveside service will be held at 3:30 PM at the Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery, 3850 Ebenezer Rd., Liberty, MS 39645.
RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 19130 Commission Road, Long Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
An online obituary may be viewed and memories shared at www.riemannfamily.com.