Rev. Dr. Noah Smith, America's Oldest Practicing Preacher, has Passed Away

Rev. Dr. Noah Smith, America's oldest practicing preacher, has passed away on Thurs., Sept. 24, 2015. He was 107.  Funeral service will be held 11:00 AM Wed., Sept. 30 with visitation at 10:00 AM all at Wayman A.M.E. Church, Mpls. Interment will be at Lakewood Cemetery, Mpls. immediately following service. 

Smith, a former artist and musician, who would go on to mentor many pastors, did not become a minister until the age of 49. He had spent the last 15 years of his life worshipping at Wayman A.M.E Church and everyone felt it. 

On the night before his death, Rev. Smith told his church family and 97-year-old wife, who had gathered at his bedside, "good night" one last time and never woke up again. His last words were "good night."

"He never seemed like he was 107," Charles Hallman, a steward board member of the Wayman A.M.E Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, told The Christian Post a day after Smith's life was feted with admiration during a homegoing service Thursday.

"He was always bright and energetic," said Hallman. "Always had a word of wisdom to speak. Every time that I saw him I made sure that I shook his hand basically because I never knew anybody who lived past 90, so I wanted to make sure that I at least touched his hand and talked to him."

The last time Smith attended his church on Sept. 6 he suffered a fall and hurt himself, but never left for the hospital until he was allowed to read Scripture to his congregation.

"He volunteered to read the Scripture for the service despite the fact that he wasn't feeling really well. And that to me was his lasting memory, because he could have declined that. But that's how dedicated he was to the Scripture, his pastor and his mission, that he chose to speak," said Hallman.

Although he was not able to share what Smith told the church, Hallman said: "He spoke very boldly, he didn't sound weak at all [even though] he was not at his best strength, and from there he went to the hospital."

Smith's health, however, deteriorated after the fall and he would die shortly after in a nursing home.

"He died peacefully. There were many members of the church around him. He said he wanted to hear spirituals and they sang for him and read Scripture for him," explained Hallman, who said the church has not been the same since Smith's death.

"We are still in a state of disbelief, to be honest, because it was hard to not see him in church Sunday. 'Cause he's always been there. It was hard not seeing him in Bible study last night because he's always been there. Y'know, despite the fact that he was 107 years old, we always thought he could live forever," Hallman quipped.

 

 

 

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