Pastor Rocky Earl Smith

Funeral services celebrating the life of Pastor Rocky Earl Smith, 64, of Newark, will be held at Northside Church of Christ, 4427 Marion Rd. Newark, Ohio at 10:30 A.M. Saturday July 26, 2025, with Pastor Ray Blakely officiating. Calling hours will be held at the church from 4 to 7pm on Friday, and from 10-10:30 A.M. prior to the service. Interment will be held in Wilson Cemetery, Newark, where military honors will be conducted by the Licking County Veterans Alliance.

Rocky, the senior pastor at Northside Church of Christ for six years, went to the arms of Jesus with his loving family and friends by his side on July 21st. He was born in Newark, Ohio on September 26, 1960, to the late Donald Smith and Eunice (Fisher) Smith.

Rocky was a past Commissioner at Mound City Little League and had a passion for playing and coaching baseball. He was also an avid diver and in 1979 he was the district runner-up, and also won the COL (Central Ohio League) diving crown. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed all types of hunting, especially deer. He owned hunting dogs, several horses, raised cattle, and enjoyed golfing and fishing.

He proudly served his country for over four years in the U.S. Air Force, mostly at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany. He was there in 1981 during the bombing of the USAFE HQ's by terrorists.

Rocky worked at GE before beginning his own construction and remodeling business, R.E. Smith Builders.

His biggest passion though was his relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He served as First Elder and Youth Pastor at Maple Avenue Christian Union Church before becoming Senior Pastor at Northside. His love for Jesus drove him to live out his life's theme, "save the lost at any cost." Rocky never knew a stranger and was a very fun and loving person, with a gift to sense when someone needed prayer. He often "held church" at Walmart; anywhere on vacation; Genesis ER waiting rooms; his dozens of hospital beds where he would engage with the staff and share his testimony; and especially at his hundreds of doctor visits, cancer procedures, and visits with Hospice personnel. He was grateful for each one who helped him battle his 13-year journey with prostate/bone cancer.

Rocky and his wife have a passion for the people of Uganda, Africa. They upgraded existing classrooms at Rock Christian Academy to make them safe for the orphans to sleep in at night, had several more classrooms built, had a well dug, and for years have been providing food/uniforms for the underprivileged children at the academy. Pastor Peter Mande of Uganda began a foundation in honor of Rocky, "The Rocky Foundation Ministry Uganda", where they do outreach for the needy. They also built the Evangel Church of Christ in Uganda.

Rocky will be greatly missed by the love of his life, Connie (Sturm), his children, Amber Smith, Lindsey (Scott) Everhart, Roxanne (Chris) Blair; stepson Chase (Elizabeth) Cameron, stepdaughter Chelsea Wolf; "adopted" daughter Kenya Thomas, "adopted" son Peter Mande of Uganda; grandchildren Gavin Kirch, Landon Rodgers, Blaze Everhart, Blane Everhart, Zoa Dixon, Keira Shipley, Elaina, Leah, and Anna Cameron, Zachariah Higgins, and "adopted" grandson Rocky Smith Jr. of Uganda, Africa. Siblings Tony Boler, Rhonda (Paul) Saling, and Jeanie (Kevin) Denman, along with several nieces and nephews. Also, special friends, Troy and Zenaide Burden, Bob Blackstone, and Steve Minor.

In addition to his parents, Rocky was preceded in death by his brother Rusty (Patti) Smith, and grandson, Karter Smith.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Northside Church of Christ for the Africa missions.

To sign an online guest book, please visit www.brucker-kishlerfuneralhome.com.