Timothy David Smith

Timothy David Smith entered the world on August 15, 1965 as a tiny 4.5 pound full-term little boy. He was a small bundle of joy - and his parents and sister welcomed him wholeheartedly. The sad realization was that - in that day and time - he couldn't go home with the family until he was 5 pounds. Three weeks later he made it all the way to 4 pounds, 15 ounces and they let him go home on Labor Day - the day his grandmother had to go home before getting to take care of him!!

Since that day Timothy has been a special member of the family. He puzzled his pediatrician because he wouldn't gain weight as fast as he should - and finally after all kinds of “needle sticking” tests the specialists decided he might respond positively to the new Human Growth Hormone, newly available for use. Just recently he told his parents that he was glad they decided to take that opportunity, even though at the time he hated his mother for sticking him several days a week! He thought he probably gained 10 or 12 inches in height because of the treatment. This conversation has been significantly reassuring in the light of his sudden death. At least he didn't think we did the wrong thing!

His school days were pretty normal, even though he was the smallest one in all his classes. From the video you can see the comparison in sizes to his classmates. But Timothy never seemed to worry too much about his physical size. He was quick to point out that small people have some advantages Big and Tall people do not have. They can squeeze into small places and help where big people can’t! He was always very positive in his approach to his problems.

He won prizes for his special art posters and joined the violin section in his 4th grade class, making it necessary for his parents to search the Kansas City area for a ½ size violin so he could get in proper position.

He was not always an angel child. In high school he became known as the champion “school skipper” - a great award. Other students wanted him to teach them his proven talent!

For a few months his adolescence was tarnished with his indulging in things he knew were wrong and would get him into trouble at home. Then the day came when his mother got the call at work “Mom, I want you to come home.” After questioning the reason and realizing that this meant he had skipped school again, mother went home promising her boss she would work into the evening to finish preparing payroll for 300 people, if necessary. At home she found Timothy lying on the couch crying. Upon inquiry he said “I don’t want to be a bad guy, I want to be a good guy.” He was reminded that he knew what he needed to do. “Oh I‘ve already prayed.” Spying the cigarettes lying in front of the fireplace, she asked if he wanted to burn them. That’s what happened. That day, March 9, 1984, he confirmed his determination to change the pattern of his life. From then on he truly tried to listen to the “good guy” voice leading him.

He worked at various jobs including Nazarene Publishing House. If he could, he would tell me the others and the dates to go with them. His memory was like a history book. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business from Southern Nazarene University at Bethany, OK in 1995.

His work was mostly in banking and research. He was excellent in computer research, and would be given the subpoenas for bank records for court cases - and he would succeed in digging up the information needed. At home his mother is going to miss his ability to find and fix her computer problems. He was her private technician in the next room!

All the comments that we have received this week from so many of you indicate that he was a Christian gentleman, positive and pleasant to be around. We knew it, but it seems many of you had found that it was true. Thank you for being his friend.

We do not know why his life ended so suddenly and to us, prematurely. Perhaps it is true that God needed one of the best to fill a small vacancy!

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November 26, 2009

We want to share with you more details than you may have heard. The long battle with depression seemed to be ending. Timothy had some job applications and interviews and was working with his Rehab Counselor on further contacts. He had an appointment at 2:00 PM on Monday to finalize the opportunity to design a website for a business in Norman. His clothes were laid out in the bathroom, his portfolio was on the table with the appointment notice. The appointment included meeting with another person about other jobs available. He had told us he would set his alarm. Nearing the noon hour I realized I had not heard the radio, or any other activity from his room. When we entered his room we found that he had died sometime in the night. To date we do not know the reason. The Medical Examiner's office in Oklahoma has been in the "hot seat" for many months, and is backlogged for as much as six months. They took the blood and tissue samples, and deemed it not necessary to do a full autopsy. We will not hear if they found a reason or not for as much as six months, when they get around to testing the samples.

When we went to bed on Sunday evening, he was watching the end of the baseball playoff games. About midnight I was awakened by a noise. When I went to his room, I found he had fallen on this way to bed. He said "I am all right, I will get up." And he did. He seemed to be unsure of why he had fallen - and assumed he had been too sleepy and ran into the wall. He walked down the hall to the bathroom, and then went to bed. He asked me to fill his cup of water (it had spilled in the fall). I set his cup by his bed, and I went to bed.

After re-thinking the episode, it is my theory that he had some kind of heart problem, perhaps a stoppage and when he fell, it jarred his heart back into action - temporarily. There is also the possibility that the growth hormone he had early in his life may have been a factor. We have received letters occasionally telling us that certain diseases related to the hormone have surfaced through the years, even many years after taking it. Some suggested maybe it was a stroke. We may never know. Thank you for your prayers and sharing your memories.

The Lord has been with us through the love of family and friends. We are content to leave the questions with Him, and try to fulfill some of Timothy's dreams the best we can. He has been living with us about six years, and we have appreciated his willingness to step in when he thought his "elderly" parents were over extending themselves. We miss his thoughtfulness and ever present caring. He was usually home when we returned from an outing - and it is hard to come home to the empty house. Beverly was able to spend a couple of weeks with us, but she has her job and home to care for. She and Keith appreciate your prayers also. She assumed she and Timothy would be here to take care of us. God knows best, and we will meet Timothy again.