Long-time LBC pastor

MANY – Services for Baptist minister the Rev. William Dowden will be Thursday. He died Sept. 8 at age 93.

He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Pacific theater of World War II. He pastored at First Baptist, Athens; Neniel Baptist, West Monroe and First Baptist, Hornbeck. After retirement, he was an interim and substitute pastor for many Louisiana Baptist Convention congregations. He was on the LBC board for six years.

Survivors include his wife Pauline and two daughters.

Arrangements are by Warren Meadows.

50-year pastor

BATON ROUGE – Services for long-time pastor the Rev. Charles Smith are pending. He died Sept. 11 at age 80.

He retired in May after 50 years as pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church. He was active in the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Missionary Baptist State Convention, 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge and other religions, civic and social organizations.

Under Smith’s leadership, his church started a credit union, a social service ministry with a caseworker, cash incentives for children of the congregation to make good grades, scholarships and social services for people who were not part of the Shiloh family, anti-drug classes, summer jobs, a bargain center that sold good clothes at low prices, day care and a nursery.

Survivors include three children.