Deceased: 2004-02-19
Diocese: CLEVELAND
ICTE Fall: 1993
A funeral Mass for Rev. Norman N. Smith, 59, of Kirtland, pastor of the Divine Word Catholic Church in Kirtland, will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Divine Word Catholic Church, 8100 Eagle Road, in Kirtland. Rev. Smith died Feb. 19, 2004, in Willoughby of an apparent heart attack. He was born July 25, 1944, in Cleveland.
Fr. Smith lived a long and devoted life to the Catholic faith and to his ministry, which he began as a high school seminarian at Borromeo and a counselor at the CYO camp in Madison. Fr. Smith graduated from St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland and was ordained a priest May 30, 1970. He celebrated his first mass at his home parish, St. Clare’s in Lyndhurst.
Fr. Smith’s first parish assignment was at St. Joan of Arc in Chagrin Falls. He subsequently undertook an assignment that would define much of his ministry when he served for 13 years as the Director of Vocations for the Cleveland Catholic Diocese. As part of this ministry, Fr. Smith was actively involved in the Serra Club, a Catholic lay group devoted to fostering vocations for priests.
Following his direct service to the Diocese, Fr. Smith returned to parish life, becoming the pastor of Divine Word Catholic Church in Kirtland, serving there for 16 years. He was instrumental in the physical expansion of the church as well as the spiritual expansion of the people he served.
This included his service as presbyterial moderator to Divine Word’s inner-city sister parish, St. Philip Neri, as well as the parish’s sponsorship of the relocation of families from parts of war-torn eastern Europe. He always tried to make time for golfing and skiing as well.
Survivors are his brother, Thomas (Patricia) Smith of Mantua; sister, Kathleen O’Connor of Little River, S.C.; brother-in-law, Robert Grayford of Eustis, Fla.; 17 nieces and nephews; and numerous great-nieces and nephews.
His parents, Earl and Margaret (Olexo) Smith; sister, Martha Grayford; and brother-in-law, Joseph O’Connor, are deceased.
Friends may call 12:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday and 2 to 8 p.m. Monday at Divine Word Catholic Church in Kirtland.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Glenmary Home Missioners, Rt. 3 Box 44, Vanceburg, Ky., 41179, or St. Philip Neri.
