Story by Christmas Beeler

Kay Smith, beloved wife of Calvary Chapel founder Pastor Chuck Smith, passed away peacefully at her home on August 13, 2021, preceded by Chuck in 2013.

Shortly after her death, Calvary Chapel Magazine chronicled the memories of Kay from her family and numerous pastors’ wives who had worked closely with her. This installment from that story, published in print Issue 89 (Fall 2021), is the first of more to come. Janette Smith Manderson and Sharon Ries share their reflections here.

Janette Smith Manderson

God's Life-Changing Love

Though Kay accepted Christ early in life and was brought up in a Christian home, she had a heavy burden for the young people who became entangled in sin and drug addiction. Pastor Chuck often recalled Kay’s important role in reaching the lost young people in Southern California: “Kay was the first to reach out to the hippies of the ‘60s. Her prayers and her tears laid the foundation for our church, Calvary Chapel,” he wrote in the introduction to Kay’s book, Pleasing God.

Their oldest daughter, Janette Smith Manderson, recalled that Kay began to pray fervently for the hippies, asking God how to reach them for Jesus. (Learn more about this story in the upcoming Calvary Chapel Magazine print Issue 96, to be released in April.) After Chuck and Kay got to know the hippies, everything changed as the Jesus Movement began to emerge.

“It was such an exciting time,” Janette recalled. “Our church was the place to be every night. Instead of going to Huntington Beach or Newport Beach to get high, kids came to our church and got saved,” she observed. Drawn by God’s love, new believers returned every night to devour the Word and grow in their faith. “The hippie kids would call her ‘Mama Kay’ and my dad ‘Papa Chuck.’” One pastor called Kay the “Big Heart of the Church.”

Janette noted that Ephesians 3:17 urges believers to be rooted and grounded in love. “That’s how she raised us, in the love of the Lord. And a lot of the hippie kids came from homes where they were not loved. As she talked to them, she found out that’s why they were on drugs—because they were hurting and looking for something real. They found real love when they found the Lord.”

Rejoicing in the Lord

Janette recalled, “It was fun to be around her; Mom had a sparkle. She glowed. That was another thing that attracted people to her. There was a deep well of happiness in her, and a peace. And they wanted that.”

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. Psalm 5:11

Despite Chuck and Kay enduring lean seasons in their earliest days of ministry and then increasing demands on their time as Calvary Chapel grew, Janette remembered, “She was very happy and contented with her life. It was a very attractive feature about her, and yet she was so empathetic, too. She would spend hours counseling people on the phone. Just as she did with us: analyzing the problem, talking it out, helping us get through it—she would really give of herself.”

Compassion for the Hurting

Reminiscing about Kay’s way with people, Janette revealed, “My daughter [Kay’s granddaughter] said Mom would reach out to other people and help them when they were in pain. She was always looking for that person who was hurting, and she wanted to try and help them heal through the Holy Spirit.” Kay encouraged those in pain with God’s promises, Janette said: “She would have lots of good Scriptures and encouraging reminders of how much God loves us. Even in painful times, His love for us never ceases, and often He uses those painful times to grow us. He carries us to a place of peace; underneath us are the everlasting arms.” The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27a).

One of Kay’s most painful experiences was losing Pastor Chuck in 2013, and Janette went to stay with her for a time. “We had a close mother-daughter relationship, but we also had that comfort of widows. We knew what it felt like when the partner you’ve lived with all your life has gone to heaven, how lonely that felt,” Janette related. “When Dad died, we understood each other on a whole new level. It was a hard time, but a very sweet time, too.” Janette cited the verse, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:4b).

“My mother and father loved each other deeply; that agape love was the foundation of their marriage,” Janette shared. “She left a legacy of love.”

Often, Janette and Kay talked about what it will be like during the millennial reign of Christ in Revelation Chapter 20. “She loved thinking about going to heaven. It was our greatest comfort, thinking of how joyful Daddy was in heaven, and knowing that he was loving every second up there with Jesus,” Janette stated. “I love thinking of her up in heaven with Him, too.” She shared a Scripture that she and Kay would often talk about as they looked forward to eternity: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Corinthians 13:12, KJV

Sharon Ries

Prayer Warrior

Late one night after a speaking engagement, Sharon Ries was nearly forced off the California freeway by an aggressive driver. Soon she realized the vehicle was pursuing her. Her heart hammering in her chest, Sharon called Kay Smith and blurted, “Kay! Someone’s trying to run me off the road!”

Sharon, wife of Raul Ries, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, CA, suspected it was the person who had been harassing her for the last three years. With a tireless vendetta, someone had been sending nasty letters about her to Calvary Chapel pastors and their wives, warning them that Sharon was an ungodly wife and urging them to cancel her as a guest speaker. The daughter of South American missionaries Edmund and Naomi Farrel, Sharon was no coward; but tonight, she feared for her life.

Without hesitation, Kay began to pray. She called on the name of Jesus, the blood of Christ, the power of God. She cried out for protection, asking God to bind the enemy. She prayed fervently, quoting Scripture and standing on the promises of God’s Word with authority. Sharon felt the presence of the Lord with her in the heat of the battle as her friend Kay interceded. Never lagging, Kay prayed until the stranger’s car seemed to fall behind and until Sharon got safely home.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18

Later, Kay called Sharon with a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit: “It’s someone who is close to you, who shows up at the church, hovering near you.” In that moment, Sharon knew who it was—a long-term volunteer at the church—and that she was engaged in fierce, spiritual warfare against herself, her husband, and the church. “Kay could be so tender and caring, but also a force for the Lord,” Sharon recalled.

Rescuing the Wayward

Kay also taught Sharon compassion. Once a sister in ministry had fallen back into drug use. Kay called Sharon and asked her to visit the woman. Sharon protested: “Kay, I’m not like you. I don’t know how to talk to people. I can lead a team into South America and build a Bible school, but I don’t know what to do with people.”

Having ministered to many young hippies, Kay said, “Sharon, it’s drugs. I know what to do, and I trust that you will listen to me.” Sharon agreed, so Kay gave her specific instructions over the phone.

“Go put your arm around her,” Kay had told her. “Pray for her. Pray in the name of Jesus that the Lord would bind the enemy; pray that He will heal her and comfort her.” Sharon did.

Kay had told Sharon to have the woman’s husband check the house, and he found drugs underneath some potted plants. “Tell him to check the top shelf of the closet,” Kay had said. Sure enough, the man found a container of pills there. Yet again, Sharon had witnessed how the Holy Spirit led Kay in supernatural ways to help others.

Though Kay was a soft-spoken, naturally shy person, Sharon reflected, “Spiritually, she was very powerful, discerning, caring—very engaged, and very unafraid. Fearless. She feared God, but she feared no man.”

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Listen to Kay Smith’s teachings on pastorchuck.org: Joyful Life and Pleasing God or read her books, Pleasing God and The Privilege.

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© 2023 Calvary Chapel Magazine (CCM). All rights reserved. Articles or photographs may not be reproduced without the written permission of CCM. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.® Used by permission.