Disciples Divinity House

Clyde Curry Smith, alumnus, died August 5 in River Falls, Wisconsin, of congestive heart failure. He was 87. An expert in ancient history, the Old and New Testaments, and ancient Greek and Semitics, he taught at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls from 1965 until his retirement in 1990. The author of numerous scholarly monographs and articles, his numerous awards and recognitions included an honorary doctorate from Fairfax University.

Clyde Curry Smith was born in Hamilton, Ohio, the only child of Mabel Ethel Ola (Curry) and Clyde Charles Smith. Mr. Smith earned his AB in Physics from Miami University of Ohio, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and with honors in 1951 and, in August of that same year, his MS in Mathematical Physics. He entered the Divinity School of the University of Chicago in the fall of 1951; he earned BD, MA, and PhD degrees as a Disciples Divinity House Scholar. He was ordained in 1954.

In 1951 while attending a church conference for college students in Ohio, he met Ellen Marie Christine Gormsen of Lakewood, Ohio, a student at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. On June 13, 1953, they married at her home congregation, the Lakewood Christian Church. In 1958, they moved from Chicago to Winnipeg, Canada, where Clyde began his academic career at St. John's College, University of Manitoba. Ellen began her career as a teacher and eventually gave extensive public service; she died in July 2015.

Clyde and Ellen Smith were well known for their civic work in River Falls, including Mr. Smith's notable service for the River Falls (Public) Library Foundation. They volunteered readily and gave generously throughout their lives.

Their legacy includes an extraordinary gift of $329,000 to the Disciples Divinity House to support women and men preparing for leadership in the church and the academy. Clyde considered the gift to have come through Ellen's inheritance, but the gift expressed the shared roots and commitments of their lives. They jointly supported and tended the gift. The gift was only part of his contributions to the Disciples Divinity House. He served as a special assistant to Dean Blakemore, he sent at least one student to the University as a House Scholar, and he served on the Alumni/ae Council. In addition, his scholarship, academic service, and teaching distinguished the House and the Divinity School.

Clyde Curry Smith is survived by his son Harald and daughter Karen, their spouses, and seven grandchildren. A memorial service will be held November 12, 2016.