Nola Smith: A Pioneer in Launching the Urantia Revelation

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Carolyn Renn Sherwood and Nola Smith in Arizona, 1982

By Larry Bowman, Arizona, USA

Editor's Note: We have learned of the death of Nola Smith, a long-time reader of The Urantia Book who was a member of the First Society and later joined the Grand Canyon Society for Readers of The Urantia Book. Nola died on February 26, 2009, at the age of 94.

Nola Smith was born in Oklahoma on February 3, 1915. After moving to Chicago in the 1940s, she became acquainted with Dr. Sadler. He introduced her to The Urantia Book and invited her to join the Forum. Later she became a member of the Seventy, a group that met at 533 Diversey Parkway on Wednesday evenings. Nola also worked with Bill Sadler, Jr. Toward the end of her years in Chicago, she and Leone Sadler worked together at 533.

Nola moved to Arizona to take care of her elderly mother. She continued to study The Urantia Book, first in Scottsdale at the home of Mary Crink and later at the study group sponsored by Dick and Peggy Johnson. After Nola's mother died, she began attending social functions sponsored by the Grand Canyon Society. On the 40th anniversary of the publication of The Urantia Book, Nola made a presentation on the history of the Urantia movement.

Nola developed Alzheimer's and spent her final years in a nursing home in Lexington, Kentucky. Even with her burdens, I always admired her attempts to look on the bright side of life.