Chaplain, Lt. Col., Joel Raymond Smith

Joel Smith, of Phenix City, AL, died Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at Columbus Hospice after a brief illness.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 2:00pm EST, at Vance Memorial Chapel in Phenix City with the Reverends Ralph Henderson and Robert Goodman officiating. Burial will follow at Lakeview Memory Gardens, Phenix City. The family will receive visitors at Vance Memorial Chapel before the service starting at 12:30 pm EST.

Mr. Smith was born June 30, 1929 in Columbus, GA, the son of Dannie B Oswalt Smith Parker. He was a graduate of Central High School, Phenix City, AL, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, Southeastern Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC, and Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI.  He had additional graduate coursework in counseling at Princeton University, Princeton, NJ and Mercer University, Macon, GA.  He was a retired Southern Baptist minister and served as a pastor in churches in Siler City, North Carolina, and Cataula, Georgia prior to entering the US Air Force as a chaplain.  While in the Air Force he was stationed at bases in Georgia, Texas, Kansas, and Michigan as well as the island of Crete, Greece and Kimpo, Seoul, South Korea.  After retirement from the Air Force he served as pastor of Summerville Baptist Church, Phenix City, Preston Baptist Church, Preston, GA, interim pastor of several local churches, and the La Paz English Community Church in La Paz, Bolivia. Prior to going into the ministry, Mr. Smith served in the US Army for several years with the Army Security Agency and was stationed in the Philippines.

Mr. Smith is survived by two sons, Ryan Parker Smith, Columbus, Georgia and Dr. Scott Rives Smith and his wife Susan, Cartersville, Georgia.  He is also survived by a sister, Laree Smith Harris and several nieces and nephews.  Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, June Carolyn Hagwood Smith, and a son, Joel Mitchell Smith, his mother, and stepfather, Remanyi Parker, Sr. who raised and loved him as his own son, and brothers Jack Smith, Harold Smith, and RemanyiParker, Jr.

Much gratitude is expressed to the kind and caring administration and staff of Morningside Assisted Living in Columbus, GA who compassionately cared for him in his final months.

The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made in his memory to Columbus Hospice, 7020 Moon Road, Columbus, GA 31909, and the Angel Ministry for children with disabilities, Oakland Heights Baptist Church, 16 Highland Way, Cartersville, Georgia 30121, or the charity of your choice.

Online condolences may be made at vancememorialchapel.net