Chaplain Jearl Carlton Smith of Sheridan, Arkansas was born June 13, 1934 in Sheridan, the son of the late Griffin and Ethel Virginia Carlton Smith.

Chaplain Smith died Monday, September 21, 2009 at Hospice Home Care in Little Rock at the age of 75.

Chaplain Smith was a member of First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Sheridan. He had served with the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System in Little Rock/North Little Rock for over 20 years. He had also served as Chief of Chaplain Service. In this capacity, he has provided compassionate pastoral and spiritual care to veteran patients and their families always ensuring their religious freedom. Chaplain Service Headquarters in Hampton, Virginia, recognizes him as a pivotal leader in VA Chaplaincy, having served on the VACO Special Task Force to establish a VA Chaplain Training School and develop its curriculum in 1985. Trained in Clinical Ethics at the Portland, Oregon, VAMC, he went on to complete training in Medical Ethics at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. From 1993-97, he served on the VA National Chaplains Center Committee on Research.

He graduated from Prattsville High School and then went on to attend University of Arkansas at Little Rock and was a graduate of Henderson State University in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. In 1961 he completed a Master of Theology degree from Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas. He completed a Doctor of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary and had a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas.

He has also served in the Air Force and was assigned to the National Security Agency, Stationed at Lackland AFB, Chanute AFB, Brooks AFB, Kelly AFB, Bolling AFB, Goodfellow AFB, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines.

Chaplain Smith had also pastored the following churches in Arkansas; First Baptist Church, Leola; Pine Street Baptist Church, Harrison; and Oaklawn Baptist Church, Hot Springs. He was endorsed by the American Baptist Association and had served as the Chairman for the Chaplains Commission of the ABA as well as serving as State Chaplain for the Disabled American Veterans of Arkansas.

Survivors, Wife, Charlene Hollinger Smith of Sheridan;
Son, Jonathan Smith and wife Bobbi Jo of Sheridan;
Sister, Pebbel Lee Taylor of Lufkin, Texas;
Grandchildren, Griffin and Rachel Smith of Sheridan;

Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, September 24, 2009 at First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Sheridan with Chaplain John Saunders, Bro. Shawn Hill, Bro. Ken Ashlock and Jonathan Smith officiating.
Burial will follow with full Military Honors at Philadelphia Cemetery in Prattsville. Visitation: 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday at Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Randy Mooney, Leonard Hollinger, Rev. Don Goodman, John H. Ashcraft, J. R. Ritchey and Robert Earl Mooney.

Memorials may be made to First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church, c/o Music Ministry Fund, 402 West Center, Sheridan, Arkansas 72150.