Wednesday, March 6, 2019

SDA History: A Little Rascal in our Midst

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

"Darwood Kenneth Smith (September 8, 1929 – May 15, 2002), also known as Darwood Kaye, was an American child actor most notable for his semi-regular role as the bookish rich kid Waldo in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1937 to 1940. As an adult, Smith became a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, ministering at several churches until his accidental death in 2002.

 In most of his Our Gang appearances, Kaye portrayed "Waldo", a rich kid with an officious, studious nature about him who competed with schoolmates "Alfalfa " Switzer and "Butch" Bond for the affections of little Darla Hood.
"'Priggish' is a good adjective to describe Waldo," said film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, co-author of "The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang." "He was very good at that part because you believed him."

After serving in the United States Army for a year and a half, Smith attended La Sierra University, a Seventh-day Adventist college in Riverside, California. He married another student attending La Sierra, Jean Venden, in June 1951, with whom he had four sons: Dan, David, Richard, and Donald.
Smith became a minister in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, ministering at churches in the nearby cities of San Diego, Palm Springs, Escondido, Santa Maria, Oceanside and in northern California at the Saint Helena SDA church.

In 1957, the Smiths moved to Siam (present day Thailand), where Darwood, now known as Pastor Ken Smith, did missionary work. Three years later, the couple's fourth son, Donald, was born in Bangkok. The Smiths remained in Thailand for fourteen years before going back to the U.S. permanently. Smith continued his clerical career, ministering in several Southern California churches and supervising missionary work.

Smith, 72, a part-time pastor at La Sierra University Seventh-day Adventist Church, was walking along Arlington Avenue when a small, tan truck drove onto the sidewalk and hit him. Smith was taken to Riverside Community Hospital, where he died of head injuries, said Riverside County coroner's officials. No arrests have been made.
Smith was survived by one brother (Dennis), his wife (Jean), his four sons (Dan, David, Richard, and Donald), and nine grandchildren. His biography is told in the 2009 Pacific Press book Finding Waldo, written by his second son, David."
L.A.Times/Wikipedia