Kenneth George Smith

Rev. Kenneth G. Smith, DD, died October 11, 2024, at age 97. 

Ken was born to Alvin and Sarah Smith on Aug. 29, 1927, in West Barnet, Vermont, where Alvin served as pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPC).  Ken made his public profession of faith in Jesus Christ at age 12 at the RP Church in Rose Point, Pennsylvania.  He attended Orlando High School in Florida before serving in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II.

Following his military service, Ken attended Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA, graduating in 1949 with a degree in English.  He graduated from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1952 and was ordained by the Pittsburgh Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church the same year.  He served as pastor of the Central Pittsburgh congregation from 1952–57.

Ken married Floy Moody on Nov. 3, 1956.  They celebrated their 60th anniversary before Floy’s death on April 7, 2017.

Ken served as denominational director of Christian Education from 1959–70.  Following a year pastoring the Glenmanus RPC in Portrush, Northern Ireland (1971-72) he coordinated mission work in Cyprus, 1972-74.  He became pastor of Covenant Fellowship RPC (Pittsburgh, PA) in 1975, and then pastor of Syracuse, NY, RPC in 1993.  He retired from the full-time pastorate in 2002 yet continued to serve the church with extended ministry in Indiana and Australia.

Ken served on the boards of corporators and trustees of Geneva College and was a member of the committee that drafted the college’s Foundational Concepts of Christian Education.  He was moderator of the RPCNA Synod in 1982. 

Ken Smith is author of With Him: A Biblical Model of Discipleship for Men, Learning to Be a Man, and Learning to Be a Family. He co-authored Learning to be a Woman with Floy Smith and wrote a chapter about his experience with Rosaria Butterfield in The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: Expanded Edition.

Ken died at the Reformed Presbyterian Home in Pittsburgh, just miles from two of the congregations he had pastored.  He is survived by his three sons, Kenneth A. (Becky) Smith, Gregory (Gitta) Smith, and Peter (Vicki) Smith as well 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Per Ken’s wishes he donated his body to the Humanity Gifts Registry of Pennsylvania.

A memorial service will be held on December 14, 2024 at 10:00 A.M. at Covenant Fellowship Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1300 Swissvale Ave. Wilkinsburg, PA 15221

In lieu of flowers please send donations to:

Covenant Fellowship Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1300 Swissvale Ave. Wilkinsburg, PA 15221 or Geneva College,  3200 College Ave. Beaver Falls, PA15010

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