I’ll never forget my favorite uncle! Thank you for the experiences of hanging out at your wonderful homestead in 1985 and for giving a little boy the unforgettable experience of going up in a little stunt plane with a super-skilled pilot! I wish I had been able to keep in touch and connect spiritually as I got older, as I also love the Lord as you do!

Grandmother’s garden remembered wreath was purchased for the family of Lawrence David Smith by Beth Chippendale . Send Flowers

We love you. We know you are Home with Jesus. Thank you for Everything you and Mary did for our family throughout the years. We are eternally grateful. Bob and Beth Chippendale and Family
Beth Chippendale

A tree was also planted in memory of Lawrence David Smith.

Star gazing was purchased for the family of Lawrence David Smith by Alain, JC, Diana, Emily, Georgia & Francis Breyer. Send Flowers

Dear Jill, Mary and Stephanie,
Please accept our deepest condolences. You remain in our thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Alain, JC, Diana, Emily, Georgia & Francis Breyer

A Memorial tree was ordered in memory of Lawrence David Smith by Linda & Greg Cole. Plant a Tree

Dear Mary & Family….it was such a joy to have Larry as a dear friend and dedicated member of our prison ministry team… Our prayers are with you!
Linda & Greg Cole

Purple radiance was purchased for the family of Lawrence David Smith by Wanda Collins. Send Flowers

May you feel peace knowing Larry is now with the Lord.

Wanda Collins

Eulogy for Larry Smith given on June 29, 2021, by daughter StephanieÂ

Larry Smith loved.

That’s an unusual way to start a eulogy. But I think it encapsulates dad. Â

Everything he did was influenced by his love for people. He showed the love of God, and his own love, to everyone he met, no matter how long he knew them.Â

In March, I had the privilege of being able to hang out with and care for dad for a month. Despite, and including the challenges, we had fun spending that amazing time together.Â

We read a book about near death experiences, about people of every age who had died, and came back to life, about what they saw on the other side, and what the Bible says about heaven.Â

We had no idea he would be in heaven 3 months later. But he was most definitely ready to be there. He often said he just wanted to go Home. This book gave him great comfort and more to look forward to.Â

Dad knew he was a sinner and imperfect, but that didn’t matter. He professed that Jesus Christ was his Savior and Lord, that he died on the cross to take that sin away, so dad was forgiven, and he would be perfect in the eyes of God, and be able to stand in the presence his creator, the creator of the whole universe. His faith never waivered.

Dad was going to be in his new body, at the peak of his fitness, that brilliant, handsome fighter pilot, fully intact, with legs, arms and hands that actually worked. He knew he’d be able to move normally, speak clearly, and smell, taste and hear again. He’d see colors we can’t imagine exist, hear musical notes impossible for humans, and be in indescribable beauty. And freely fly.Â

Imagine his joyous reunion there with a huge welcoming party! And when our time comes, dad will be the first one there to welcome us Home.

Dad knew, most importantly, he would be enveloped in the overwhelming love of God.Â

For God IS Love.

In the book we read about heaven, those who had a life review with God were shown things they had done on earth, but saw things they didn’t expect to see.Â

The one thing that mattered most to God was the love they did or didn’t give or show to others.Â

They were even shown things that they weren’t aware of doing that had hurt someone. Nasty words instead of kind ones, scorn instead of encouragement, turning away instead of a loving touch. And God asked them why they hadn’t shown his love to others as he commands.Â

Fortunately, in our personal lives, we have been blessed to have had an excellent example of how to show God’s love to others. My dad.Â

Larry Smith loved.Â

I do not use the word “love” lightly, as some do. Dad had passion. He actively loved.Â

Dad loved his family and loved for us to be together as a family. He loved being with his three girls. He loved his mother and father, his sisters, and all his wonderful aunts, uncles and cousins, who just welcomed him to his new Home in eternity on Father’s Day.Â

He loved living, and wanted to experience and enjoy all life has to offer.

Because he was gone a lot, and risking his life testing fighter planes, or ensuring airline travelers made it safely to their destinations, and having a blast doing it, it made all of us appreciate our time together even more.Â

We know that we had a blessed life with, and because of, dad. And so blessed to have had the incredible love of an incredible father that many don’t get. There’s too much to say here about our lives with him as our father and husband, his love for us was a daily expression no matter what. Â

Dad was like a kid. We got to go to all the amusement parks (of course he loved Rollercoasters), and we got to go backpacking, bike riding, and travel all over doing fun things and experiencing the world.

He loved music. He grew up with professional music all around him, and married a musician, and created some musicians, as well. When we were in the car together, we listened to our 8-track tapes and sang so many songs together. We gathered around the piano and sang and played, and we used to sing in church together. The Smith Family singers. We sang special songs that were meaningful to our little family, each with separate harmonizing parts. He loved doing that. In the last weeks, we sang to him nearly every day, and played his favorite music all day and night. Â

He was an accomplished swimmer, water polo player, and surfer. We went to the beach and the ocean a lot. He loved being in the water.Â

Dad didn’t just love being in the elements, the air, the water and the earth, but he had to be in the elements. The elements are and were part of him. He had to be in them, or his soul suffered.

And Jill is exactly the same way. She obviously followed in dad’s…footsteps, air wings and water wings.Â

Dad’s love of flying was quite apparent to other pilots. He was a pilot’s pilot, exceptionally good at flying. Jill tells people that there are usually two kinds of pilots. There are the ones who know the science behind how an airplane works, can mechanically make the airplane fly, but they don’t know how to finesse it. They don’t land very well or are not a very smooth pilot.Â

Then there are those who are the seat-of-the-pants type of pilot. They know how to take off, land and fly smoothly, but they don’t know much about how the airplane works.Â

Dad’s flying was the perfect balance of the two.Â

After his full time service in the military, and while he continued his service in the Air Force Reserves, he was a pilot for Western Airlines. Jill and I were kids then, and we got to go with him on trips that had long layovers.Â

Sometimes we all got to go, and we got to fly first class, and sometimes only one of us would go. Sometimes we had long layovers by ourselves where we learned a lot, and sometimes we got to sit in the cockpit on the jumpseat! What an amazing gift he gave us.Â

But more than any of those things he loved, Dad loved people.

Mom and dad taught Bible study and Sunday School for decades, and helped start a wonderful church in Elizabeth, Colorado, in which dad was an elder for years. He worked in the Food Bank, and was involved in prison ministry. He served God in these ways up for decades until the Parkinson’s prevented it.Â

Throughout his life, dad made an impact with people everywhere. People in every church he’s been to loved him so and appreciated him. He sacrificed his time, his money, and energy praying for and helping them.

Dad had a captive audience in every airline cockpit he was in. He was an exceptional conversationalist. He asked people questions about themselves, their lives, and he actively listened. People felt truly loved by dad. It’s a great feeling to have someone really listen, and hear you.Â

Whenever we went anywhere with dad in the airlines, he met someone he knew. People would come up to him and be so happy to see him, and tell us how much they and their colleagues loved him. When we’d get on the planes, you could tell he was so respected and honestly loved by everyone.Â

When someone he knew had a fear of flying, he would lovingly take them to his airplane and teach them about the mechanics of a plane, and offer to take them flying. He loved sharing his love of flying and wanted to spark the same in others.Â

After he retired from the Airlines, he became a pilot and trainer and was able to follow his love of dogfighting again. Because of his special talents, he was able to help others learn how to get out of difficult situations pilots can get into and was an Unusual Attitude Trainer.Â

When he was involved in the prison ministry, prisoners would come up to him and thank him, and tell him how much his words affected them. They meant it. When dad preached or taught, he was passionate and did it to help others because he loved them.Â

I could add so many more wonderful examples. Everyone was so happy to be around dad.Â

Even his last week that he was himself when at the assisted living home, he told stories of his life, and made the others feel loved. After knowing him for only a week, they told us how much they would miss him.Â

That’s the effect he had on people. He had an unselfish, non-judgmental love for others and a willingness to drop everything to help anyone who asked.Â

Over the years, and in the last few, especially, the people to whom he actively showed love, actively showed it back. They helped and cared for mom and dad in any way they could, willingly and without complaint, offering without being asked.Â

In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”Â

“No commandment greater than these.” We are to love God with our Entire being! And nothing is more important than that. Jobs, family, relationships, those will all fall into place if we love with our whole selves.Â

And no thing is more important than those.Â

We know that God will be asking us if we loved others like he loves us.

Now knowing all of this, reading 1 Cor 13:1-3 really drives this home. It says that, and I’m heavily paraphrasing, if you speak every language on earth, and the language of the angels, but don’t have love, your speech is just loud noise. Â

If you know the future, or you have all the knowledge of the earth and universe, you know everything there is to know, or have the greatest wisdom of the ages, or have faith greater than anyone, but don’t have love, it means nothing.

If you give everything you have to charity, all your time and money, and have the greatest sacrifices for others, but don’t have love, you have nothing.Â

Actions, words and service to the church or humanity don’t mean anything if you don’t love.Â

Love means EVERYTHING. It is the most important thing in the world. It changes people. And it can change the world.Â

Dad exuded love. Couldn’t help himself. He just did it. He risked loving people with little fear of rejection.Â

This world would be a different place if more Larry Smiths were in it. Â

When God welcomed dad Home, I know He said, “You loved well. Well done.”

Larry Smith loved.

We love you, Dad. Thank you for showing us how.

—
Play “Well done” by The Afters. Â
What will it be like when my pain is gone
And all the worries of this world just fade away?
What will it be like when You call my name
In that moment when I see You face to face?I’m waiting my whole life to hear You say
Well done, well done
My good and faithful one
Welcome to the place where you belong
Well done, well done
My beloved child
You have run the race and now you’re home
Welcome to the place where you belong
What will it be like when tears are washed away
And every broken thing will finally be made whole?
What will it be like when I come into Your glory
Standing in the presence of a love so beautiful?
I’m waiting my whole life for that day
I will live my life to hear You say
Well done, well done
My good and faithful one
Welcome to the place where you belong
Well done, well done
My beloved child
You have run the race and now you’re home
Welcome to the place where you belong
What will it be like when I hear that sound?All of heaven’s angels crying out:
Singing holy, holy, holy are You, Lord
Singing holy, holy, holy are You, Lord
Singing holy, holy, holy are You, Lord
Waiting my whole life for that day
Until then I’ll live to hear You say
Well done, well done
My good and faithful one
Welcome to the place where you belong
Well done, well done
My beloved child
You have run the race and now you’re home
Welcome to the place where you belong
Well done