Bill D. Smith — —December 2, 1938 – March 4, 2023

Bill D. Smith, age 84, passed away peacefully Saturday, March 4, 2023, at home in Seattle, Washington

Bill D. Smith, age 84, passed away peacefully Saturday, March 4, 2023, at home in Seattle, Washington. Born December 2, 1938 to Ben and Lillian (Dring) Smith, on a farm in Dundee, Kansas, the family moved to nearby Great Bend when Bill was four and his father was drafted to serve in WWII. Bill grew up with an older brother Pete and a younger brother Rich. His mother instilled a passion for the church and for education and was always concerned that Bill did his best. His dad instilled a strong work ethic, and Bill held a variety of jobs from a young age, including working at a dry cleaners before and after school, beginning in 6th grade. His best memory of his youth was playing second base for the Great Bend High School baseball team, crowned Kansas State Champions in 1955.

Bill attended the University of Kansas (KU), where he worked as a pastry chef at his scholarship hall and graduated with a BS in Education. His biggest thrill at KU was seeing Wilt Chamberlain play basketball for the Jayhawks, and in later years watching the Jayhawks play in Allen Fieldhouse and on television, including winning the NCAA Men’s championship in 2022.

After graduating from KU, Bill taught social studies in Kansas City for a year before enrolling at Boston University School of Religion, and later, Cambridge University in England (where he was on the basketball team), and Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT. Bill also spent a year as an intern at Union Church in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Following graduation from Yale Divinity, Bill studied Urban Affairs at Indiana University and earned an MA in Political Science. He also, more importantly, met the love of his life Patricia Goering, also from Kansas, who also earned an MA in Political Science at IU. Bill and Patricia were married June 8, 1968.

After graduating, Bill and Patricia packed up their 1969 VW bus and headed west to Monroe, Washington, where Bill served as pastor of Monroe United Methodist Church. Son Mark was born in 1970. Desiring more change, Bill, Patricia, and Mark headed to Wesley Methodist Church in Auckland, New Zealand in 1971 for a year-long pulpit exchange. Returning to Washington State, the family moved to Seattle in 1973, where daughter Jennifer was born. While in Seattle, Bill earned a Doctorate in Theological Studies from San Francisco School of Theology, where he wrote his thesis on stages of adult development. Before retiring, Bill served seven churches, most in the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Favorite memories from ministry include starting a prison ministry and day care for families of inmates while at Monroe United Methodist Church (UMC), holding marriage enrichment weekends and parenting classes at Green Lake UMC, starting Light of the Hill UMC in South Hill (Puyallup), housing the homeless at Woodland Park UMC, and organizing and moderating two public forums on police reform and homelessness through Sandpoint UMC. Bill treasured the memories he made sharing life and faith with so many caring individuals during his time serving the church.

One of Bill and Patricia’s favorite activities together was travel. Bill’s fond memories include a cross country family camping trip in a Chevy Chevette; several sabbatical months in East Berlin where Patricia had a fellowship year; a sabbatical year in Romania which included teaching school; trips to Israel and to Nicaragua exploring political conflicts; and travel to the Soviet Union/Russia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Morocco. Bill and Patricia also loved taking each of their six grandchildren on trips of their choice, when they turned 12.

When he retired in 2000, Bill and Patricia moved to Ocean Shores where Bill enjoyed gardening, playing tennis, and golfing. He had a beautiful garden there, became a Master Gardener, and served as president of the Grays Harbor County chapter. For many years Bill and Patricia also hosted friends for Ocean Shores’ annual jazz weekends. In 2017 Bill and Patricia moved back to the house in Seattle where they had raised their children. Bill transformed the extra lot at their home into a magnificent garden, a testament to his gardening skills and his love of beauty.

Family was always important to Bill, and he is survived by Patricia Goering Smith, his wife of 54 years, daughter Jennifer Smith and grandchildren Jasmine and Fenêtre, and son Mark Smith and wife Amanda and grandchildren Anna, Lillian, James, and Hailey. He is also survived by brother Rich and wife Jeanne Smith and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm, Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Sand Point United Methodist Church, 4710 NE 70th, Seattle, with a reception following in Perry Hall.

Suggested organizations for remembrances in Bill’s name are Doctors without Borders, Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Low Income Housing Institute-Seattle, Plymouth Housing, or the charity of your choice.