Funeral services were scheduled Aug. 5 for Rev. Van Smith Jr., 84, a longtime pastor at St. Peter Baptist Church and choral music teacher at Plaquemine High School.
Smith died July 25 at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.
His lifelong love for music led him to become choral director of Plaquemine High, where his Christmas and spring concerts as conductor of the school choir became a tradition. He also mentored students in organ and piano.
According to his obituary, Smith’s life in music began at age 5 when he sang in church, where his father, Rev. Van Smith Sr., served as pastor.
Smith followed in his father’s ministerial footsteps when he became pastor at Zion Traveler Baptist Church, where he served more than 30 years.
In 1986, he became pastor at both St. Peter Baptist Church on Court Street in Plaquemine, along with New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Baton Rouge.
He presided over St. Peter Baptist Church until his death. He also served as a member of the Iberville, East Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupee Ministers Conference, Fourth District Baptist Association, Unity of Church and Denominations, Louisiana Baptist State Convention, National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc.; Plaquemine Municipal Civil Service Board and a former member of “Heritage.”
Smith was survived by his wife Leola. They were married in 1962.
He is also survived by three children – Van Smith III, Kent B. Smith and Dr. Kimberly Parrott, and six grandchildren, Gabrielle Smith, Esq., Dr. Bethany Smith, Caitlin Smith, Nicholas Carroll, Kent Smith Jr., and Noah Carroll.
A Celebration of Life Through Music was held Friday at New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Baton Rouge.
