85R17575 BPG-D
By: Workman H.R. No. 908
R E S O L U T I O N
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.