Rev. Wendell Gene Smith

Rev. Wendell Gene Smith, resident of the Braden Community and minister of the Braden and Mason United Methodist Churches departed this life Sunday afternoon, August 18, 2013 at the Methodist Hospital in Somerville. He was 60 years of age and died unexpectedly after becoming ill at his home after completing the Sunday morning worship service at his church.

Services of Remembrance for Rev. Smith were conducted at 11 A.M. Wednesday, August 21st at the Braden United Methodist Church with Rev. Sammy Washburn, a longtime friend of Amory, Mississippi officiating. Interment followed in the Gates Cemetery in the Gates Community of Lauderdale County. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes and Cremation Center — Main Chapel of Somerville.

Rev. Smith was born November 11, 1952 in Medina, Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his parents, John H. Smith and Dorothy Replogle Smith. He received his education in the Tennessee Public School System and was a graduate of the Union University in Jackson and a graduate of the Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Rev. Smith had served as a minister for over 30 years in Mississippi and in West Tennessee. He formerly served in the Ripley, Tennessee United Methodist Church Circuit for ten years and had been pastor of the Braden and Mason United Methodist Churches for the past five years. He will be remembered for his love of fishing and duck hunting. He was a dedicated and devoted minister who shared his Christian love and compassion with all that he came in contact with.

Rev. Smith is survived by his wife, Jennifer Vaughn Smith, who currently serves as a librarian at the East Junior High School in Fayette County; two sons, Wendell Gene Smith, II (Alexis) of Las Vegas, NV, Corey Joshua Smith of Nashville, TN; his brother, John Wallace Smith (Suzzie) of Cedar Grove, TN; four grandchildren, Ariel Smith, Jewels Smith, Xochi Smith, Colby Smith; two nieces, Shelby Gean, Layla Vaughn; and three nephews, John Smith, Mark Smith and Dalton Gean.

Those honored to serve as casketbearers were John Smith, Mark Smith, Brian Vaughn, Brian Replogle, Bruce Replogle, James “Rooster” Meadows, Holt Tapp and Hamblette Cocke.
Honorary casketbearers were United Methodist Church Ministers.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the church or charity of the donor's choice, Reelfoot Rural Ministries, 6923 Minnick-Elbridge Road, Obion, TN 38240 or the Gideons International, P.O. Box 212, Somerville, TN 38068.