Retired Chaplain (Colonel) Ralph L. Smith (U.S. Army), 91, a resident of Irving, Texas since 1974, died Friday, May 22, 2020. Born December 24, 1928, in Bellflower, Illinois, he was the older son of the late Ralph L. Smith and Helen Hope Kurtz Smith. Chaplain Smiths parents were both reared in Illinois farm families and his grandfather Smith was president of the community bank. While in Bellflower Township High School basketball, he was Illinois All-State, graduating in 1946. His father, who would later be called "Momo" by his grandchildren, was a dynamic, hard-working, successful businessman who provided well for the family during the Great Depression. Chaplain Smiths mother, given the moniker of "Nana" by her grandchildren, was honest, strong-willed, outspoken and direct with a bit of humor. They lived throughout the East and were always active parishioners in a local church. Chaplain Smith credited his strong formative years to his parents and his teachers in both school and Sunday school and his college professors at Illinois State University (B.A., Education, 1950). While there, he was active in the Wesley Foundation and their many mission trips. Later in life, he was inducted into Illinois State Universitys College of Educations Hall of Fame. In July 1951, Ralph enlisted in the U.S. Army and served five years of active duty as an infantryman and paratrooper. In April 1953, he was deployed to Korea and assigned as an infantry platoon leader in C Company, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 2nd Division. As a second lieutenant at Outpost Harry, in recalling the event years later, he vividly described the terrain, logistics, and layout of the encampment. Manned only by one company, he talked about how they dealt with being grossly outnumbered by two Chinese battalions. Ralph was always resolute in his patriotism and would proudly tell you of his love for God and country. For his service in the Korean War, he received a Bronze Star. On August 28, 1954, he married Alice Rachel Williams, a United Methodist ministers daughter whom he met in the young adult Sunday school class at Catalina United Methodist Church in Tucson, Arizona. During the following six years, they were involved in the work of the church, and Ralph taught health/physical education and was the basketball coach at Tucson High School. He completed his graduate studies at the University of Arizona, Tucson (M.A., Education, 1955). Alice and Ralph proudly welcomed son Eric Richard in 1956 and son Donald Alan in 1959. Feeling called by God into the ministry, the family moved to Dallas where he earned his Master of Arts in Theology from Southern Methodist University in 1964. He served in local churches as pastor, associate pastor and youth director. In 1965, Alice and Ralph welcomed daughter Nancy Elizabeth. Ralphs military experience coupled with his theology training led to a change in his U.S. Army Reserve service, from the infantry to the chaplain branch. For the last two decades of his career, he founded a chaplaincy program at Irving Community Hospital, now Baylor Scott White, Irving. Chaplain Smith retired from the hospital in 1988, and also from the U.S. Army Reserve, where he had served for 33 years. Alice and Ralph continued to travel often throughout the United States, as they had done their first three-and-a-half decades together. They experienced the wonders of The Holy Land, enjoyed Egypt and cruised the Caribbean. Alice and Ralph traveled to Tokyo and Okinawa, Japan, and went to South Korea four times, where Ralph taught youth leadership at American high schools. He always appreciated and was overwhelmingly grateful showing Alice the DMZ, returning to where he had fought years ago. Chaplain Smith enjoyed his readings of history, politics, current events and autobiographies. He loved swimming at the downtown Dallas YMCA and the Irving Senior Center, and much to the surprise of many, became recertified as a lifeguard at the age of 72. He was a faithful member of the Irving Noonday Lions Club, Irving Silvertones Chorus, Military Order of the World Wars, Korean War Veterans Association, Sons of the American Revolution and Plymouth Park United Methodist Church in Irving, Texas. In addition to his parents, Chaplain Smith was predeceased by his sister, Harriet Hope Smith who died at birth in 1927. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Alice of Irving; son Dr. Eric Richard Smith and wife Lori of Tyler; son Donald Alan Smith and wife Amy of Austin; daughter Nancy Elizabeth Smith of Washington, D.C.; brother, Dr. Ted Kurtz Smith and wife Shirley of Ruskin, Florida; grandchildren, Emily Elizabeth Smith-Buster and husband Brian of Austin; Andrew Jarvis Smith of Austin; Preston Alan Sagastegui-Smith and wife Veronica of Houston; Matthew David Smith and wife Kristen of London, England; and Madeline Grace Priester and husband Jeffrey of New York City, New York; and one great-grandaughter, Alice Elizabeth Buster of Austin. Chaplain Ralph L. Smiths body may be viewed at Donnellys Colonial Funeral Home, 606 West Airport Freeway in Irving, 1-5 p.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2020, and 9 -11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a private family service at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, however it will be live streamed from Plymouth Park United Methodist Church: https://boxcast.tv/view/ralph-smith-celebration-of-life-gcepcjqou8rfclcnlmms . Burial with full military honors will also be private. Once the pandemic restrictions are lifted, The Smith Family will announce a date for a memorial service. Memorial contributions in Chaplain Smiths memory may be given to Plymouth Park United Methodist Church, 1615 W. Airport Freeway, Irving, TX 75062 or Lions International Foundation, c/o Noonday Lions Club, P. O. Box 170123, Irving, Texas 75017 The link to the recording of the graveside service https://youtu.be/YvfN8nWr8kI