TITLE: In memory of Dr. Ralph M. Smith, former pastor of Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin.

SUMMARY: In memory of Dr. Ralph M. Smith, former pastor of Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Countless lives were touched by the commitment and compassion of Dr. Ralph M. Smith of Austin, who passed away on March 11, 2017, at the age of 85; and WHEREAS, Born on March 19, 1931, Ralph Smith grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas; he married the former Bess Noble in 1951, and the couple shared a rewarding marriage that spanned 56 years before Mrs. Smith's passing in 2008; they became the parents of three children, Diane, Wallace, and Peyton, and in later years, the family grew to include seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, Dr. Smith completed his doctoral degree in theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Rosenberg before becoming pastor of Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin; his uplifting, beautifully crafted sermons provided inspiration to all who heard them, and over the 36 years that he led the Hyde Park congregation, membership increased from about 1,000 to more than 12,000; this dedicated leader also established the Hyde Park Baptist Foundation as an endowment to support church ministries; and WHEREAS, Highly respected by his peers, Dr. Smith helped establish 16 churches, served on the founding executive committee of Austin Baptist Church, and oversaw the construction of numerous buildings for Baptist organizations; in addition, he served as president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention Pastor's Conference, and he was a regent of Baylor University and chair of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary board of trustees; and WHEREAS, Dr. Smith retired in 1996, after he was stricken by Guillain-Barre syndrome, and following 17 months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, he published the book You Can't Fall off the Floor to offer encouragement and hope to other sufferers; he also published three other titles in his lifetime, and he continued to mentor younger pastors and provide spiritual guidance to those in need until the final years of his life; and WHEREAS, Warm, engaging, and quick to smile, Ralph Smith conveyed a joyful message of unwavering faith, and he will forever hold a special place in the hearts of those he left behind; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to Dr. Ralph Smith and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. Smith. Workman Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 908 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 23, 2017. Chief Clerk of the House