Noel C. Smith: 1980-2010

It is with a heavy heart that we at the National Agricultural Law Center share the news of the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Noel Smith. For readers of this Blog, you knew Noel’s work even if you did not know Noel personally as he was responsible for writing content for the Blog for most of the past year. For those of you who are members of the American Agricultural Law Association, Noel’s work on the Blog was a critical part of the recent membership growth for AALA.

Noel joined the Center staff in July of 2009, as a writer and editor for this Blog. His comprehensive and frank writing style, along with his detailed analysis of the issues at hand earned the Blog many new readers. A great testament of his hard work, professionalism, and dedication is that the Blog readership steadily grew by leaps and bounds during the time he wrote for it – nearly 300% to be exact. He took great pride in his role as the writer for the Blog. It was a task that he took very seriously and something he truly loved to do.

Noel served as an integral part of our Center staff for more than a year and was always an absolute joy to work with. His offhand comments, optimism, sense of humor, collegiality, daily courage, and keen observations livened up many days and discussions at the Center. Among many other memories, we will always recall his profound happiness when he announced that he and his wife Hannah were expecting their first child. Noel was a great friend and colleague that

will always be a part of the Center family and forever missed. His strength, integrity, and courage left a lasting impression on all of us; we are better people for having the opportunity to work with and know Noel. Despite all of the challenges he faced, he was always positive, upbeat, and hopeful. We are truly blessed to have worked with Noel as he touched all of our lives with the way that he lived his.

Our sincere condolences and sorrow go out to his family, especially his wife Hannah and daughter Emma, who is due to be born in early November.

Noel Christian Smith, 29, of Fayetteville, Ark., passed away on Oct. 10, 2010, at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, Ark., following a two-year fight against brain cancer.

He was born Dec. 19, 1980, in Greenville, S.C., to Peter Smith and Karen(Pelfrey) Smith. Noel graduated in 1999 from the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., and in 2003 from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., with a bachelor's degree in environmental studies and minor in sustainable development. He was twice a recipient of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship for Environmental Studies.

Noel was a senior legislative assistant and speechwriter in the U.S. Congress and law student at the University of Arkansas, where he was a Dean's List student and member of the Law Review before his illness. Noel was also a writer for the National Agricultural Law Center, and a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville.

He was preceded in death by maternal grandfather, John G. Pelfrey (Dalton, Ga.); and paternal grandparents, Edmund G. and Alice McKay Smith (St. Louis, Mo.).

Noel is survived by his wife, Hannah (Lambiotte) Smith; forthcoming daughter, Emma Arlene Smith; parents, Peter and Karen Smith; brothers, Liam Nathaniel Smith (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Brian Edmund Smith (Houston, Texas) and sister-in-law Sarah Register Smith; maternal grandmother, Arlene Pelfrey Rucker; father- and mother-in-law, Joe and Sherry Lambiotte (Fayetteville, Ark.); brother-in-law, Jered Lambiotte (Baton Rouge, La.); and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins and nieces.

Noel's humor, spirit, and enthusiasm will be missed by countless others.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, with the Revs. Lowell Grisham and Suzanne Stoner officiating.

The life of Noel Christian Smith will be celebrated at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Baylor School Chapel in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Memorial contributions may be made to brain cancer research at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and CaringBridge.org. An educational fund will be established for daughter Emma Arlene Smith upon her birth.