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Commissioner Wilma Smith, 94, was promoted to Glory from Torrance, Calif., on Nov. 19.
Wilma Deloris Cherry was born in Omaha, Neb., March 17, 1918.
She entered the School for Officer Training and was commissioned in 1937 with the Guardians of the Covenant Session. Her first appointment as a probationary lieutenant was to assist at the Pacific Grove (Calif.) Corps. A year later she was sent to assist at the Hayward (Calif.) Corps.
In August 1939, Lieutenant Wilma Cherry and Captain Lawrence Smith were married. The Smiths served five years in Hawaii before and during World War II. During this time, they served in corps, specialized children’s work, and then as directors of The Salvation Army United Service Organization (USO), responsible for opening and operating a USO club in Wahiawa, Oahu, for servicemen from nearby military installations. While in Hawaii their first son, Michael Lawrence, was born.
Returning to the mainland in 1944, the Smith’s were appointed as corps officers at San Jose, Calif., where their second son, Brian Charles, was born. They served as directors of The Salvation Army Children’s Home in Lytton, Calif. Two years on the faculty of the Army’s training school in San Francisco followed, and in 1954 they were appointed to the Northern California and Nevada Division, where Wilma Smith served as the divisional assistant Home League secretary. Their promotion to major came during this time. In 1962, the Smiths were transferred to Western Territorial Headquarters, where Wilma Smith served as the official visitor for retired officers, and they were promoted to brigadier.
In 1966, Wilma Smith was appointed as the territorial nurses’ fellowship secretary and a year later, the territorial League of Mercy secretary with promotion to the rank of lt. colonel. The Smiths were promoted to colonel and assigned to International Headquarters where Wilma Smith was responsible for the Long Service Order and the Order of the Silver Star.
The Smiths returned to the West in June 1975, where Wilma Smith served as the territorial Home League secretary. In 1978, they were assigned to New Zealand where Commissioner Lawrence Smith was territorial commander and Commissioner Wilma Smith was territorial president of women’s organizations. In January 1980, Lawrence Smith was appointed the territorial commander for the USA Western Territory and Wilma Smith was named territorial president of women’s organizations.
Since retirement in 1982, Commissioner Wilma Smith lived in Rancho Palos Verdes and Redondo Beach, Calif. She was a faithful soldier and prayer warrior at the Torrance Corps.
Smith is survived by her son, Brian; daughter-in-law, Eileen (wife of Michael); three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Her husband, Lawrence, and son, Michael, preceded her in death.
A memorial service will be held in January 2013.
