My Tribute to Minister Ronald Smith
By Bessie Hudgins

This picture was made with love by my granddaughter Christy Dawn McCurry

As I started to put this tribute together, I found myself wondering where to start. How do I put into words that will make everyone feel the way I felt about this man I called friend.

When I think of Ron Smith the words HONEST, SINCERE, KNOWLEDGEABLE, HELPFUL, COURAGEOUS, TRUSTWORTHY, GIVING, FATHER, HUSBAND, SON, BROTHER, FRIEND, ACTIVIST, ADVOCATE, MINISTER, FAITHFUL, KIND, CARING, LOVING, FORGIVING, FRIENDLY, BOLD, STAUNCH, BRAVE, STRONG, DETERMINED, WATCHFUL and CHARMING, but the one word that sums it all up “CONFIDENT”.

Ron was all those words above and more, but his confidence of knowing he was on the right track and determined to make a difference, made Ron Smith who he was.

When Ron told you he would do something, he did it. When Ron asked you to do something, he needed for you to do it. When Ron said he would pray for you and/or your situation, he kept his word, he prayed, but it never turned into preying on you.

Ron and I began our journey in January 2007. We had exchanged many e-mails over the couple years before and had become internet/e-mail buddies, but in January of 2007 Ron asked if anyone wanted to go to Washington DC with him and I jumped right up at that very second and said, YES! And our journey that never faltered began.

Ron and I met for the first time in DC right before DCRally2007. My husband and his wife made Ron and I the pair that would never give up. Scherry and Ricky gave Ron and Me the ability to move forward with our beliefs.

I have lost a very dear friend. I will miss him everyday for the rest of my life, for he was the one person that I leaned on and his wonderful wife would step into his place when he was on the phone (quiet often) or unloading a truck of food (every Friday), or at a courthouse trying to help someone that was being run over by the courts.

In August of 2007 at DCRally2007 we were all doing our best to make it the best Family Preservation Festival we could possibly make it. Three Sides to Every Story, Inc. and Children need Both Parents, Inc. shared a booth which put Scherry and I together a lot. Without knowing it (I am sure) she taught me how to get Ron's attention. Ron was walking away from our booth and she wanted to ask him something, she raised her voice just a little and said, “Ron”, but he kept right on walking. I laughed and said, “I guess you will have to wait”. She laughed and said, nope, not me, and raised her voice a little more and said, “Ronald”. He stopped, turned around and started back to the booth. She looked at me and said, “Told You”!

A little later that day I needed to ask him something and raised my voice and said ‘Ron”, but he kept walking away, so I raised my eyebrows and raised my voice a little more and said, “Ronald”, he turned around with the strangest look on his face and said, “Oh no, not you too”.

Ronald Smith was one of a kind and he leaves behind a wife that is too, one of a kind.

We will miss you Ron, but I for one will never forget what you were about and how you fought to make things right.

God Speed My Friend,

Bessie, Ricky, Christopher, Jennifer and Christy