Rev. George M. Smith

It is with hearts full of both grief and gratitude that we announce the home going of Reverend George M. Smith - a man of God, a shepherd of souls, a comforter of the broken, and a quiet force of love that shaped every life he touched. George passed from this world on February 18, 2026, at the age of 83, having devoted more than 60 years of faithful service to the Lord and to his fellow man. He lived and ministered from Southwest Louisiana, a place he called home, and a community forever changed by his presence.
A Life Poured Out in Service
For more than 60 years, George Smith answered a calling that most people only dream of fully surrendering to. He pastored multiple churches across his ministerial career, standing in pulpits not merely as a preacher, but as an evangelist, and a living example of what it means to put God first. His ministry was not confined to Sunday mornings or the four walls of a sanctuary. George carried the Gospel in his hands, his voice, his wallet, and his time - freely giving all of them to anyone who was in need.
He provided counsel- not just a practice, but a gift he offered without condition. People came to George carrying burdens he helped them set down. He listened when others walked away. He spoke truth wrapped in such warmth that even the hardest hearts could receive it. He made people feel secure. Comfortable. At peace. Loved. That was his ministry, and he never once charged admission.
The Man Behind the Ministry
George was quiet - but powerful. There is a particular kind of strength that lives in still waters, and George had it in abundance. He did not need to be the loudest voice in the room. He simply needed to be in the room. His presence alone brought a settling calm that people carried home with them long after they had said goodbye.
He could also make you laugh without warning. George was known for his witty one-liners - the kind that arrived at just the right moment, landing with perfect timing, leaving you shaking your head and smiling all at once. He had a gift for lightness even when life was heavy, and that gift was itself a ministry.
George loved a good home-cooked meal. A perfectly fried shrimp, a juicy hamburger - simple pleasures that he savored without apology. He understood what it meant to be present in ordinary moments, to find holiness in the everyday. That understanding was woven through everything he did.
Tested and Proven Faithful
George Smith was no stranger to loss. He carried grief the way a man of deep faith carries it - honestly, without pretending it didn't hurt, but always turning his face back toward the light. He struggled at times. He was human. But he chose, again and again, to encourage himself and everyone around him. When the weight pressed down, his answer was always the same: "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Those were not empty words for George. They were the architecture of his entire life.
He lived honorably. He lived ethically. In a world that often rewards compromise, George held the line - not rigidly or self-righteously, but with the quiet integrity of a man who simply could not betray what he believed. That consistency was itself a sermon preached every single day.
Those Who Carry His Legacy Forward
George is preceded in death by his parents and three siblings. He is survived by those who loved him most and were shaped most deeply by him: his son, Nathaniel Smith (Rebecca DaPra); his daughter, Tawana Young; his grandson, Nathaniel Young and three siblings. He leaves behind not just a family, but a legacy - a way of moving through the world with kindness, faith, and an open hand.
Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant.
George M. Smith did not merely pass through this world. He left it better than he found it - one soul, one conversation, one act of quiet generosity at a time. His ministry is not over. It lives in every person he ever comforted, counseled, or carried. It lives in the children who still remember his voice. It lives in the hearts he helped put back together.
He is home now. He is at peace.
Family will receive friends from 12:00 p.m. until the time of the funeral service at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, February 26, 2026, at First United Pentecostal Church, 230 Smith Street, DeQuincy, Louisiana. Interment to follow at Hyatt Cemetery, Fields, Louisiana.