Rev. Allen Smith

Rev. Jesse Allen SmithLaurensJesse Allen Smith joyfully met his Lord and Savior face to face on Friday, September 15, 2017, at the age of 92 in Laurens, SC, at Martha Franks Retirement Center, where he had lived for the past two years. Allen was born in Seneca, SC, on June 6, 1925, the first of six children born to Jesse William Smith and Alma Lucy Adams Smith. He grew up in Westminster and Laurens, graduating from Laurens High School, North Greenville Junior College, Furman University, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.During his student years, Allen began fulfilling his call to preach God's Word as he pastored Holly Grove Baptist Church in Laurens; Chauga Baptist Church, Westminster; and Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Boston, Kentucky. In 1947 he married Mary Frances Barnette whom he had met at North Greenville. Following seminary, they started Croft Baptist Church, a mission extension of Spartanburg First Baptist Church. He later pastored in Abbeville, Lancaster and Greenwood. The biggest adventure of Allen's life began in 1959 when he traveled with his young family on a three-week journey by ship to the Philippine Islands as missionaries with Southern Baptist's Foreign Mission Board. "When we sensed God's call to the Philippines, I didn't even know where those islands were", he confessed. Such was his walk of faith as he worked in difficult settings to start new churches. After twenty years in the tropics, he contracted tropical sprue, necessitating their move to a more temperate climate. His final years of overseas mission work were in Lusaka, Zambia, as pastor of the International Baptist Church. After five years in southern Africa, Allen's deteriorating health forced their return to the States, leaving the overseas mission work he so deeply loved. As his health slowly improved, he was able to serve as interim pastor for seven churches and as an associate pastor on two church staffs. Frankie, his devoted wife of 60 years, passed away in 2007. The following year he married Katherine V. Lewis, a former missionary colleague in the Philippines. Allen is survived by his wife Katherine; five adult children: Steven & Joyce Smith of Gaffney; Stan & Dottie Smith of Greer; Susan Floyd of Concord, NC; Scott Smith of Simpsonville; and Sandra & John Worthington of Seneca; ten grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren; and his brother Kenneth Smith of Laurens, and sister Alma Jean Pitts of Simpsonville.Allen is preceded in death by his wife, Frankie Smith; a baby sister, Janet; and two brothers, Herb Smith and Morris Smith.Visitation is at Martha Franks Rasor Chapel, on Monday, September 18, 2017, from 1:30 to 2:30 PM and service immediately following in Martha Franks Rasor Chapel. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Spartanburg.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the International Mission Board SBC, PO Box 6767, Richmond, Va. 23230. Arrangements for the family have been entrusted into the care of Kennedy Mortuary, Laurens, SC. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Rev. Allen Smith please visit our Sympathy Store.