Smith accepts the award from Decker as Lauretta looks on during Triad’s traditional worship service Jan. 18.

Al Smith is set to turn 84 in March — a biological fact of life his body reminds him of often these days.

Tremors that seem to pop up out of nowhere can make walking and other formerly simple acts difficult for the man who has had both knees and a hip replaced and survived lymphoma, melanoma and chemotherapy too.

Yet those who know Smith know you won’t find him cast down or complaining. Instead, he’s looking up. He’ll ask you about the child of yours who has cancer, or call with a word of encouragement, or smile and greet you on the way to a Triad church service.

It’s not surprising then that one of Smith’s favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:28 — “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

During the Jan. 18 traditional worship service, Smith became the 14th recipient in the heritage award series Triad began in 2003 to honor senior adult members and their legacies of faith. Lead Pastor Robert Decker presented the same award to Smith’s wife, Lauretta, in September 2009 on her 80th birthday.

“Since joining Triad in 1997, Al has been a selfless servant and modeled the kind of Christ-like love for others that has helped Triad become the church it is today,” Decker said. “Al’s life as husband, father, military veteran, faithful employee, friend, and church worker is an example for us all.”

Smith displays his award certificate as the 14th senior adult honored in the award series that began in 2003.

Smith, who grew up on a farm near the Pamlico Sound and accepted Christ late in life — at age 40 — credits his late mother, Annie Wallace Smith, and Lauretta with leading him to Christ, and keeping him there.

It was his mom who got him into the church building for the first time as a little boy and who was there for him again later when, as a staff sergeant with the U.S. Air Force, he suddenly faced raising four children on his own. She relocated to Goldsboro, N.C., so Al could continue service at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base where he retired in 1970 after 20 years. He accepted Christ that same year as Savior, and met Lauretta, the wife of his late pastor in Greenville, the Rev. Adlie Barefoot Jr. Smith credits Lauretta with strengthening his faith, and making sure he left bad habits behind. They were married in Greenville in 1971.

Even though he had four children of his own, Smith helped Lauretta raise four of her six children (the other two were already married when they met). The Smiths moved to Kernersville in 1971 from Greenville, N.C. Al transferred from Easter Carolina University to continue work for UNC Greensboro as a heating and air conditioning expert while Lauretta worked as a nurse.

Come July 16, 2015, they will have been married 44 years — a fact they attribute to a Christ-centered love based on “submission to each other as God ordained, self-control, discipline and total forgiveness.”

In addition to daily devotions, the Smiths make it a point to do things together, please and compliment each other, and refrain from criticizing each other or their families.

Over the years, Smith has put the skills he used professionally at UNC-G and his general knack as a handyman to work for Triad too — doing whatever else was needed long before the church had a facilities director or much of a budget for that kind of work.

He and late member Clarence Compton built the ramp that got the church’s first mower into its storage building. And several Triad members benefitted from his skills. “Anytime I could reach out and help someone, I would,” Smith said.

Smith was one of the key drivers behind the launch and growth of the Faithful Friends — including getting vans from rental companies before the church had its own vehicle fleet, driving, and providing other assistance to the ministry.

For many years, he also served as an usher and greeter and on visitation teams that followed up with those who had attended Triad services. Most recently — until his health made it impossible for both he and Lauretta to continue — Al joined Lauretta as one of the members of Triad’s first Life Group and its first nursing home outreach ministry. When Lauretta played her accordion, it was Al would help her load and unload it and take it from place to place.

From marriage to health to church service and everything else, Smith points people to the God who alone sustains him, and the Savior's grace which makes all things possible.

“I always want to be strong and true in faith to the Lord,” Smith said, “because I’ve seen in so many situations how quickly a person can take his last breath, and life can turn. I want to be ready and prepared for Christ’s coming, and to do whatever I can in my last days to tell others about Him.

“I pray every day for God to help my mind to stay right so I can continue to do that. We only have one God we serve and He’s the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I know He’ll give me the power to serve Him well, and get through these aging problems and whatever else comes my way.”