Sara Elizabeth Smith

Sara Elizabeth Smith, Pastor's Wife to the late Reverend Jewell E. Smith and Co-Founder of Temple Baptist Church/Orlando Baptist Church, went home to be with her beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 9th, 2011. Sara was born in Detroit, Michigan on December 12th, 1931 and lived there until the age of 18, when she left to attend Baptist Bible College in Springfield Missouri.

Her early years were filled with great love in the bosom of her family. Sara was a magnificent storyteller. And she re-counted countless times to her children and grandchildren tales of her youth. She told of her mother Eliza who was a young widow and a great prayer warrior that taught her to rely on God in every circumstance great and small. She told of her father David who died when she was only eleven, leaving a huge void in her life that only now has been filled upon their surely glorious reunion in Heaven. She told of her older brother Ron, who was her co-conspirator in childhood. And she told of her younger sister Mara Jane, who she was allowed to name after her favorite candy Mary Jane's. Just recently she said "Mara is a grand sister".

Sara went to Baptist Bible College in the fall of 1951 and met Jewell Smith. When she first saw him, his hands reminded her of her beloved dads'. Three months later on December 22, 1951, they were married and thus started a 59 year marriage, ministry, partnership and friendship that did not even end when Jewell went home to be with the Lord on June 6, 2004.

Jewell and Sara became the parents of two boys - David in 1952 and Stephen in 1955. Sara always said she so loved each of her babies and called her children her greatest joy aside from serving the Lord.

After Jewell graduated from college in 1954, he was called as Pastor of Burton Baptist Church in Flint, Michigan and together he and Sara served there from 1954 to 1957. In 1957, Jewell and Sara felt the Lord calling them to another place and purpose and they moved to Orlando, Florida, with their two young sons, where they established Temple Baptist Church. Jewell and Sara saw the Lord greatly bless their ministry and many came to know the saving grace of Christ because of their dedication and commitment to His cause.

During their time in Orlando, Jewell and Sara became the parents of two girls, Cyndee in 1961 and Lisa in 1969.

After Jewell retired as a pastor in 1984, he spent 20 years traveling as an evangelist and lecturing on the History of the English Bible with a magnificent collection of ancient bibles and manuscripts. During this time, Sara opened a gallery in Orlando called the Biblical Heritage Collection Archives featuring part of the bible collection. She found great joy in running her gallery for almost 8 years.

Sara was preceded in death by her husband Jewell Smith, her father David Aldridge and her mother Eliza Aldridge.

She leaves behind her four children David Smith, Stephen Smith, Cyndee Sams and Lisa Ard; her brother Ronald Aldridge; her sister Mara Miller; one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law; two daughters-in-law and one son-in-law; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews and countless friends.

Each of her children refers to Sara as "My Mom". And that's just what she is, because each child was her "favorite" child. We love her dearly and will miss her daily prayers for each one of us, but we are comforted in the knowledge that we will be reunited in Glory. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1st Corinthians 15:55

Visitation will be held from 5PM-8PM, Monday, August 15 at Newcomer Funeral Home, 895 S. Goldenrod Road, Orlando. Funeral services will be held at 10AM, Tuesday, August 16 at Orlando Baptist Church, 500 S. Semoran Boulevard, Orlando. Interment will be private at Florida National Cemetery.