The funeral services for Rev. Howard Denman Smith, of Brookhaven, are Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, at 11 a.m., at Friendship Baptist Church with burial at the church cemetery. Riverwood Family Funeral Service in Brookhaven is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, from 5 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home and will continue Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, from 10 a.m. until time of service at the church.

Rev. Smith, 81, a faithful minister of God’s Word, died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. He was born May 28, 1936, in Brookhaven, to Denman W. Smith and Ina Mae Smith. He was a graduate of Loyd Star High School, Mississippi College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, with a Masters of Divinity. He spent 62 years in ministry including pastoring numerous churches in Mississippi and Louisiana. He served with Mississippi Associational Missions and the Louisiana Baptist Convention Board. He was a devoted outdoorsman, with a special love for fishing. He was an avid sports fan and followed his children and grandchildren in all their sports activities. He was a staunch Ole Miss supporter and a loyal West Lincoln Bears fan. He was a member of Friendship Baptist Church and will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Jewel Smith; and one sister, Linda McKee.

Survivors are his wife, Betty Lou Smith; son, Bert Smith, of Natchez; daughter, Salena Greenlee and husband Mickey, of Brookhaven; three grandchildren, Brandon Smith, Ty Smith and Kayla Goodson; six great- grandchildren; and numerous other family members and friends.

To express your thoughts to the family, visit riverwoodfamily.com and click on his name to leave a comment.