James David Smith

James David Smith, 93, passed away on Thursday, August 15, 2019.
Visitation: 6-8pm Friday, August 23, 2019 at Burleson Church of the Nazarene, Burleson, Texas.
Service: 12 noon, Saturday, August 24, 2019 at Burleson Church of the Nazarene.
He was born February 2 (Ground Hogs Day). Father came in from the barn, took one look at him and went back to the barn for six weeks. Homeplace was a cotton farm between turkey and lakeview, just up the road from the Bob Wills family in Hall County, Texas.
Jay spent his childhood in Comanche and Lawton, Oklahoma. He attended school at Oak College in Comanche. He was raised with six lovely, loving sisters. As you can imagine, there are endless stories of exciting adventure during those growing up years.
At age five, Jay was diagnosed with stomach cancer and after surgery, was not expected to live. But, as you can see, the Lord answered his mother’s (and the communities) prayers and touched his body and healed him in a miraculous way.
He gave his heart to the Lord at the age of 11 at a revival meeting conducted by a lady Evangelist at the Comanche Church of the Nazarene. He answered his call to preach at age 22 in Santa Maria, California.
He attended college at Pasadena College in Pasadena, California (presently Pointe Loma College) from 1951 to 1955. He went to school days, and drove a truck at night. He also preached somewhere every weekend. Jay was ordained in May of 1957 by J.B. Williamson in Pasadena, California. Jay built a home Mission church in Cuyama, California the year he graduated from college and pastored there for two years. From there, he was called to his home church in Santa Maria, California where he had a very successful ministry for seven years.
He then built the Maria Highlands church in Orcutt, California and served there for 3 years.
After moving to Oklahoma, Jay pastored in Comanche for nearly four years. Then he served as Interim Pastor at Duncan First Church of the Nazarene and Lawton Heights Church of the Nazarene.
He served as associate pastor at Fort Worth First Church of the Nazarene and Burleson Church of the Nazarene. He then retired and began teaching a Sr. adult Sunday school class and assisted in many areas of the church in Burleson and Irving. Jay was al.so an accomplished cutting horse trainer and ha won many awards and trophies.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Smith; sons, Keith and Kevin Rutledge; daughter, Lesa Smith; sister, Wanda Greathouse; numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews, family members, friends and his grey mare, never ending love.