William P. Smith

REV. WILLIAM P. SMITH, OMI
MISSIONARY OBLATE PRIEST FOR NEARLY 66 YEARS


Rev. William P. Smith, OMI, 92, died on February 15, 2011, at Saints Memorial Medical Center in Lowell, MA. He was born in Maynard, MA on August 7, 1918, a son of the late William J. and Alice C. (Raiche) Smith. He was educated in Maynard, MA and attended Boston College.

Fr. Smith entered the Oblate Novitiate at Tewksbury, MA in 1938. He professed his first vows in 1939 and his perpetual vows in 1942. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 4, 1945 in Washington, DC by Bishop Arsene Turquetil, OMI.

After Ordination, Fr. Smith ministered in various parishes while awaiting passage to the missions in Africa. He went to Natal, South Africa in 1946 and continued to do parish work in Natal until May of 1984. He ministered in a number of locations there, and he spent many years with the Zulu people in Estcourt, Natal where he began new parishes. He also spent many years in Chatsworth, Natal. During his years in Natal he returned to the US on occasion to preach mission appeals.

Fr. Smith returned to the States in June of 1984. He was assigned to St. William’s Parish in Tewksbury, MA. In September of 1993 he was assigned to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence and Infirmary in Tewksbury where he was Treasurer and Director. He returned to St. William’s parish in July of 2000 and ministered there through July of 2009. He retired to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence in August, 2009. He remained there until his recent hospital admission.


In addition to his parents, Fr. Smith was predeceased by two sisters and brothers in law, Joseph and Marie Hamilton, and Beatrice and Leston Perkins, by one infant brother, Edward, and by two nephews, Joseph A. Hamilton and William Phillip Smith Hamilton. He is survived by several nieces and nephews: Grace Torrisi Hamilton of Seabrook, NH, Jennifer Hamilton Bower of Methuen, MA, and Joseph (Jay) Hamilton of Kingston, NH.; Susan Hamilton, Deborah Mora, and Theresa Hamilton, all of San Antonio, TX; Sue Ellen Hamilton of Round Rock, TX; James Hamilton of Austin, TX; Ann Marie Grenda, Kristen Grenda, and David Grenda, all of Glendale, AZ; and James Perkins, Thomas Perkins, and Daniel Perkins, all of New Vineyard, ME. He is also survived by twenty-one great-great nieces and nephews and three great-great-great nieces and nephews.