FROM WORKER REPORTS
MONTEVALLOOn Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15, Dr. Wendell Franklin Smith, a towering figure in both stature and spirit, died at the age of 84. Dr. Smith, also known as Dr. Wendell, was a retired professor and former chairman of the University of Montevallo’s Department of Communication Science & Disorders. His intelligence, empathy, and unwavering commitment to service had a profound effect on generations of students and colleagues.
Wendell was born in Seminole, Oklahoma, on August 20, 1940, and grew up in Sylacauga, where his passion for music blossomed. He played viola in the high school orchestra and took piano lessons from a local instructor, demonstrating his early love of the arts. He received a last-minute music scholarship at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, because of that desire. He met Carol Lee Chambers there, who would end up being his lifelong love and his loyal companion for almost fifty years.
Wendell found a vocation in speech pathology early in his career as a music professor, a discipline that would influence his future work. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center with a master’s and doctoral degree, he finally went back to Alabama to teach at the University of Montevallo. His work as a professor and then department head was distinguished by his leadership, mentoring, and teaching prowess.
He had an impact on campus outside of the classroom. Dr. Wendell became a campus symbol, whether it was his imposing 6-8 stature, his iconic black Volkswagen Beetle, or his insightful lectures. In appreciation of his intellect and character, he was named the university’s Academic Grand Marshal and received the esteemed Founders Day Award for Outstanding Commitment to Teaching.
But the way he lived—humility, purpose, and a strong faith—may have been his greatest legacy.
Every phase of Wendell’s life was influenced by his Christian beliefs. He worked with enthusiasm in a variety of church capacities, including sitting on the board of Evangel Classical Christian School, being consecrated as an elder at Evangel Church PCA in Alabaster, and performing in the choir at Independent Presbyterian Church in Birmingham. Following their retirement, he and Carol continued their shared dedication to serving wherever they were called, focusing on travel, family, and enduring friendships.
Wendell stayed in California following Carol’s death in 2013 until relocating to Dallas in 2021 to be nearer to his kids and grandkids. He discovered a sense of belonging at Providence Presbyterian Church in his latter years, where he loved seeing his granddaughter, son, and daughter-in-law lead worship.
Wendell’s parents, Cloyd and Thelma Smith, and his cherished wife, Carol, passed away before him. Jonathan Randolph Smith (Jill) of Dallas, Texas, and Sarah Elizabeth Kelley of Andalusia, Alabama, are his children. He is also survived by four brothers and a sister, as well as six grandchildren: Austin Luke Kelley, Brighton Nathaniel Smith, Savannah Faith Kelley, Jenna Marguerite Smith, Ashland Grace Kelley, and Hudson Samuel Kelley.
On Tuesday, July 1, Evangel Church PCA in Alabaster hosted a memorial service. To honor Dr. Wendell’s lifelong dedication to education, faith, and compassion, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Providence Presbyterian Church (providencedallas.givingfire.com), the American Cancer Society (donate.cancer.org), or the University of Montevallo (montevallo.edu/give/momentum).
The life of Dr. Wendell Smith served as a tribute to the unwavering strength of love, the joy of learning, and the silent power of service. Everyone who had the good fortune to know him will miss him terribly.
