James Embry Smith was born September 27, 1922, in Trinity, Texas. He was a graduate of Trinity High School and attended the
University of New Mexico and Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. He married Wilda Irene Tomlinson, November 24, 1942.
They were approved as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries to Mexico in 1962. Their sending church was Temple Baptist Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Curtis Goldman, pastor. Bro. Smith was saved at the age of nine in a summer revival in a small East Texas town and was baptized the following Sunday night. He trained as an engineer at the University of New Mexico and worked in the atomic energy research at Sandia, New Mexico.
He answered God's call to preach and after graduation from Bible College, the Lord laid the field of Mexico on their hearts. They had come to love the Mexican people during their time in New Mexico, learned the rudiments of their language and learned to deal with Roman Catholics. They taught in the Instituto Biblico Bautista in Mante, Mexico with Bill and Quessie Harvey and with Larry and Sharon Lilly. During the 25 years they were there, they worked with and started missions in the states of Veracruz, Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosi.
In 1992, Bro. Smith became unable to serve actively and since that time had been on medical disability. He went to be with his Lord, October 23, 1999. James Smith was survived by his wife, Wilda; daughter, Pam; and two grandchildren Megan and Heath.
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