Funeral services for Chaplain LTC Retired Gerald. H. Smith, of Leesville, La., are 3 p.m. on Monday, May 28, at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Bogue Chitto, with burial in the church cemetery. Labby Memorial Funeral Home in Leesville, La. is in charge of arrangements.

     Visitation is Monday from 1 until 3 p.m. at the church.

     Mr. Smith, 74, died May 25, 2012, in Leesville. He was born in Port Arthur, Texas on Feb. 12, 1938, to Colton and Radie Mae Smith.

     He served as pastor of many churches from 1959 to1970 in Mississippi and Alabama. He joined the U.S. Army in 1970 where he was a Captain and served as a Chaplain at Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Rucker, Ala., Fishbach, Germany, Fort Wadsworth, N.Y., Korea, Vietnam, Johnston Atoll, Hawaii, and Fort Polk, La.  At Ft. Polk, he was the Main Post Chaplain from 1979 to 1981 and has served as Chaplain for many other battalions while stationed there and became the Division Staff Chaplain of the 5th Infantry Division in 1987-1989.  He earned the Bronze Star in Vietnam. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1989.  He reentered the civilian workforce and served as pastor of the following churches from 1989 to 2012: Simpson Baptist Church, Korean Presbyterian Church, Living Word Korean Baptist Church, Glade Branch Baptist Church, Korean Full Gospel Church and Castor Baptist Church. He was currently serving as the interim pastor of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Leesville. He had also been a substitute teacher in the Vernon Parish School system and worked as a role player for Cubic Defense Applications. He had a radio ministry in Mississippi and Louisiana known as the Chaplains Forum and he was a network marketer for Amway, New Image, Melalueca, TTI, and Avon.  His last mission was selling homemade country cane syrup.

     Preceding him in death were his first wife, Ida Elaine Smith, parents, brothers and grandchild.

     Survivors are his wife of 15 years, Glenda Fay Smith of Leesville; sons, Danny Smith and wife, Missy, of DeRidder, La., and Dennis Smith of Leesville; daughters, Angie Magee and husband Paul, of Leesville, and Melody Aldredge, of Natchitoches, La.; stepsons, James Miller, of Lumberton, Texas, Timmy Miller and wife Darlene, of Bogue Chitto, and Wendell Miller and wife, Amanda, of Hernando; stepdaughters, Glenda “Tiny” Bales and husband, Kevin, of Bogue Chitto, and Angie Rushing and husband, Buster, of Mendenhall; 21 grandchildren; and 8 great grandchildren.

      Words of comfort may be expressed to the Smith family at www.labbymemorial.com