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In memory of

Douglas Edward Smith

Palm Springs, CA, USA

August 12, 1946 - January 21, 2020

Aug 12, 1946 - Jan 21, 2020

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Douglas Edward Smith passed away on January 21, 2020 at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. Doug was 73 years old and was survived by his brother Phillip J. Smith, his wife Nicole, his ex-wife Linda and their five sons, Peter Michael Smith (44) of Niagara Falls, Canada; David Andrew Smith (41) of Colorado Springs, CO; Daniel Moraine Smith (39) of Indio, CA; Timothy John Smith (37) of Palm Desert, CA; and Mark Edward Smith (35) of Indio, CA. Doug has 12 grandchildren: Jonas, Kate, Calla, Drew, Rachael, Kayleigh, Adeline, Eliza, Novel, Cohen, Nova, and Isabel.

Doug was born in Marysville, California on August 12, 1946 to Warren Donald Smith and Isabelle Smith (née Powell). They moved to Richmond, CA when he was a child where Doug attended elementary and high school. He started working for the Santa Fe Railroad after high school and became a brakeman and conductor. Doug was drafted into the US Army in 1965 where he served the Fort Eustice Military Railroad with his skills learned from Santa Fe. Doug was an accomplished pistol marksman during his service at Fort Eustice in Newport News, VA achieving US Army Marksmanship Expert Qualification. He returned to the railroad after honorable discharge from the Army where he worked for both Santa Fe and Amtrak.

In 1971 Doug had a life-changing conversion to Christianity. He met Linda Bair at a Bible study in Berkeley, California and they were married in June of 1974. In 1979 they felt called into the full-time ministry and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend Rhema Bible Training College. After Graduation in 1981, he accepted a position as Senior Pastor in Millen, Georgia where he pastored for a year. They moved back to Northern California in 1982 and they founded Faith Christian Fellowship in Santa Rosa. In the late 80s Doug made several missions trips to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and began traveling evangelism and itinerate ministry both overseas and in the United States. They moved to the Palm Springs area in 1989. Doug and Linda were divorced amicably in 1996.

In 2005, Doug married Nicole Klingenberg from Schüttorf, Germany. They have lived in Palm Springs for the last 15 years, where they enjoyed the local arts, music and activities, volunteering for the Palm Springs International Film Festival and being part of the local community. Nicole encouraged Doug as he became a licensed real estate agent. During the last years of Doug’s failing health, Nicole lovingly and selflessly provided round-the-clock care for Doug. His sons remain extremely grateful to Nicole for the sacrifices she has made to care for their dad.

Doug studied the Scriptures in Hebrew and Greek and loved to teach the Bible. Doug had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh with his family. He was so proud of his five sons and twelve grandkids. He loved people and ministering the love of God to all those he met.

Funeral Services will be held 11:00am, Thursday, January 30th at Valley Christian Assembly at 73-979 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California, 92260. Burial with military honors will take place the following Tuesday, February 4th at 10:00am at Riverside National Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements have been made through Rose Mortuary & Crematory, 44650 Monterey Ave., Palm Desert, CA 92260, phone 760-773-6500.

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