david glenn smitherman
EAST BEND -
Mr. David Glenn Smitherman, 81, son of David Anderson "Yank" and Sarah
Wall Smitherman, died Tuesday, July 30, 2002, at his home. He was born
Sept. 11, 1920, in Yadkin County. The Rev. Smitherman was called of God
to preach the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ when he sat under the
preaching of some great Holiness preachers at a John Wesley camp
meeting in High Point, and he then felt the need to bring some of these
preachers to the East Bend area. This led him to be the influencing
factor in starting the "Bible Holiness Church," which later became
affiliated with the "Evangelical Methodist Church" Conference. So a
building was purchased from the United Methodist, which was a landmark
of East Bend with its ornamental trim and architectural structure and
beauty (which was designed by the late Jonathan Gates Huff), and held
its formal opening May 5, 1959. The Rev. Smitherman pastored the church
he loved for 25 years until his retirement and then enjoyed worshipping
his Lord and Savior at East Bend Friends Church until the present.
Psalms 104:23: "As man goeth forth unto his work and to his labor until
the evening." The Rev. Smitherman was not only a spiritual leader but
also a successful dairyman and farmer. He was a man of faith and
venture, a good steward who contributed much to the agricultural
business. The Rev. Smitherman was preceded in death by his parents; two
sisters, Mamie S. Wagoner and Sylvania S. Williams; and two brothers,
Guy Smitherman and Bradford Smitherman. Surviving are his wife, Jessie
P. Mickey Smitherman, of the home; two sons, Mickey W. (Hilda)
Smitherman and Timothy A. (Vickie) Smitherman both of East Bend; three
grandsons, Maurice W. (Shonda) Smither-man, Sterling B. Smitherman and
Parker Smitherman, all of East Bend; a granddaughter, Loris (Danny) Coe
of Yadkinville; a great-grandson, Ryan D. Coe of Yadkinville; and two
brothers, Dwight W. Smitherman of East Bend and Joe E. Smitherman of
Winston-Salem. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 1, 2002, at the Huff Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev.
Elisha Robertson, the Rev. Fred Fleming and the Rev. John Fletcher. The
body will lie in state from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Burial will follow in the
East Bend Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends from
7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Huff Funeral Home in East Bend. In lieu of
flowers, memorials may be made to the East Bend Evangelical Methodist
Church, c/o Mrs. Eddie Jeune, 4314 Transou Road, Pfafftown, NC 27040;
or East Bend Friends Church, c/o Tony Gentry, 3324 Dal Road, East Bend,
NC 27018, in honor of all the living and deceased members of the East
Bend Evangelical Methodist Church and the Atlantic District Conference.