Calvin Wayne Smith, Sr.

Calvin Wayne Smith, Sr. received his heavenly reward on December 17, 2023, in North Little Rock, Arkansas, at the age of ninety-two years. Calvin was born to William Claude Smith and Mamie Ethel McDade Smith on May 5, 1931, in Dallas, Texas.

Calvin received the Holy Ghost in 1949, at the age of 17. He graduated from Little Rock High School in 1950 and went on to serve in the United States Army. Most of his adult life, he led a career as a cameraman at Peerless Engravers, a photo engraving company, where he retired in 1995. Calvin served as a faithful member of First Pentecostal Church under the leadership of the late Bishop A.O. Holmes, Bishop Joel N. Holmes and now Pastor J. Nathan Holmes II. He loved God, his family, and believed in backing his Pastoral leadership in all capacities where he served as song leader, trustee, radio broadcast team member, and camp-meeting support from music to kitchen duties.

Calvin was known for his cassette tape collections of old-time radio stories that he loaned out to many families in the church. He always knew who had what, and each album was boldly marked “Property of Calvin W. Smith Sr.”, should it come up missing or be found lying around somewhere. Calvin was also known for sharing advice with anyone he encountered, many times unsolicited. He genuinely loved people and hoped that by sharing life lessons he had learned the hard way, he might help someone else avoid making the same mistakes.

After his fall earlier this year, and as he made the transition to the rehabilitation center and later the nursing home, he often commented that the Lord had given him the opportunity to witness to more people these last few months than he had in years. He never blamed the Lord for his health setbacks, but always spoke of how faithful the Lord had been.

Calvin is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, William Claude Smith, Jr. and Harold Dean Smith, and his sisters, Maude Smith Touhey, Lilly Smith, and Jeanette Smith Ellis. He leaves behind his beloved children, daughter, Cathy and her husband Terry Coffman, son, Calvin (Cal) Smith Jr. and his wife Lisa, and daughter, Candace Smith Cordrey; granddaughters, Leslie and her husband Nick McKinnon, Arlie and her husband Michael Cloud, Laura and her husband Nick Nesterenko, and Callie Smith; and six great-grandchildren, Emma Catherine, Griffin Reid, and Nolan James McKinnon, Audra Kate Nesterenko, and Amelia June and Baby Boy Cloud (due to arrive in early 2024).

Visitation will be at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, December 27, 2023, followed by a funeral at 11:00 AM at First Pentecostal Church, North Little Rock. Interment will begin at 1:00 PM, Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock.

Arrangements by Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St, North Little Rock, AR 72114, 501-758-1170.--