Margaret Smith

Margaret "Marge" Emma Camfield Smith, age 96, of Olathe, Kansas, beloved founding first lady of MidAmerica Nazarene University, went to be with her Lord and Savior on March 15, 2015. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the Olathe Hospice House. She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. To the Community of Olathe and MidAmerica Nazarene University, Marge is remembered for a legacy of faithfulness and investment in the lives of others. Always a gracious host, you could feel her love whenever you walked into a room. Her genuine love for others and her faith was evident in the way she lived her life.

It is difficult to capture Marge's spirit in words. She was vivacious and funny, had an unshakeable Christian faith, was a lady in every respect, had an unquenchable passion for life and for caring for people, was determined and believed anything was possible if people prayed and worked hard enough. She was a prayer warrior for and second mom to college students who often were just leaving home for the first time. She poured out her life for her Jesus, her family, her friends, her church and her university. She could win anyone with her warm smile and her low southern drawl. She was real and practical and hard working. People loved Marge. And Marge loved people. It's
hard to imagine the world without her in it.

Margaret Emma Camfield was born January 6, 1919, in Mingus, Texas, to Effie Mae (Bates) and Sullivan Ross Camfield, a coal miner. Marge attended Bethany Nazarene College and it was there she met Royal Curtis "Curt" Smith. Marge and Curt were married on February 7, 1937, in Cleveland, Oklahoma. They had two sons, Barth born in 1940 and Blake born in 1945.

Curt and Marge pastored churches in Greenville, Port Arthur, Dallas and Corpus Christi, Texas, before moving to Bethany, Oklahoma, in 1949, where Curt served as Vice-President of Public Relations and Fund Raising at Bethany Nazarene College.

In 1966, Curt was selected to be the founding President of a new Nazarene college. It was then that he and Marge moved to Olathe, Kansas, to pioneer MidAmerica Nazarene College (MidAmerica Nazarene University). "They gave us $5,000 and said 'It's an opportunity - come build a college,'" Marge recounted in 2013. Together they inspired the dream of a new college in Kansas and then by faith and determination they gave of themselves to bring that dream to life. They left an indelible legacy on the city of Olathe and the many lives they touched through MidAmerica.

In March of 2014, Marge and her late husband were honored with the city of Olathe "Cathedral Builder Award" recognizing the contributions they made to the city of Olathe through MidAmerica.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dr. R. Curtis Smith; brother, E.R. "Buddy" Camfield; and sister, Mary Nelma Camfield Ingram. She is survived by two sons, Barth (and Kathy) Smith of Olathe, Kansas, and Blake (and Kathleen) Smith of Overland Park, Kansas; five grandchildren, Doug (and Tonya) Smith of Yuba City, California; Michelle (and Scott) Travis of Boerne, Texas; Brent (and Serena) Smith of Boerne, Texas; Monica Rosegrant of Olathe, Kansas; and Melody (and Stephen) Smith of Olathe, Kansas. She is also survived by 13 great grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at College Church of the Nazarene on Thursday, March 19 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The funeral will be held at College Church of the Nazarene on Friday, March 20 at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Marge Smith Memorial via MidAmerica Nazarene University. Check payable to MNU. Online giving go to mnu.edu. Go to the Giving Page – Marge Smith Memorial.