Dr. Albert J. Smith, age 88, a resident of Windsor Park in Carol Stream, formerly of Winfield, Illinois, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, February 10, 2021. He was born February 14, 1932 in Gasport, New York to Albert and Marion Smith.

After losing his father at a very early age, Albert, who preferred to be called Al, was a hard-working, diligent young man who worked for local farm families and excelled in his studies.  In high school, while living with a local family, Al began attending church and accepted Jesus as his Savior. His pastor encouraged him to pursue a career in ministry and suggested he attend Wheaton College. At Wheaton, he took a biology class to meet a general requirement and it became his chief area of study as he and his wife, Audrey, planned to pursue full-time ministry combining education and missions.

After receiving his Biology Degree with Highest Honors in 1953, he attended Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and went on to teach at Elgin Academy in Elgin, IL., as well as pastoring a church and working for the post office.  During the early years of his career, he earned a Masters Degree in Ecology from Northern Illinois University and set up the Biology Department at the newly formed Judson College, also in Elgin IL, where he taught from 1964-1967.

In 1967, he returned to Wheaton College as a Biology Professor and was thrilled to be working with some of the same professors who had encouraged him as a student.  He was awarded a National Science Foundation Science Faculty Fellowship which enabled him to complete his PhD from the University of Chicago.  During his 32 years on the faculty at Wheaton, Dr. Smith taught genetics, bioethics, environmental ethics and creation/evolution and supervised teacher education.  For many summers, Dr. Smith taught and directed Wheaton's Science Station in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He also taught at Wheaton's Honey Rock campus in Wisconsin. His many accomplishments were recognized when he was awarded the Senior Teacher of the Year in 1979 and the Faculty Emeritus award in 1999.

Looking back on his career, Dr. Smith reflected "there were numerous ways in which God had guided us. Often, we did not know it as such but in each of these experiences – Wheaton College, NBTS, Judson College, Valley View Baptist Church, Elgin Academy – God was preparing me to minister to many of the future leaders in Evangelical Christianity by being able to show how learning methods such as science and theology could be integrated. This was a far greater ministry than the pastorate would have been.  I am overwhelmed to find out one by one what some of our graduates are doing.  For me, this is especially true of the teachers we have trained as we hear from near and far of their work in the Kingdom."

After retirement, Al stayed active in ministry to seniors in his local Evangel Baptist Church congregation and enjoyed his lifelong hobbies of gardening and traveling with his beloved wife, Audrey.  He and Audrey first met in the 4 ^th grade as classmates but attended different high schools.  In 1950, after a "chance encounter," Al invited Audrey to a high school graduation party and they soon became sweethearts for life, marrying in 1953.  Clearly committed to his wife and children, Al took great pleasure in watching their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren grow up and express themselves as individuals. He was able to participate and even officiate in many of their marriages and newcomers to the family were always greeted with the warmest of hugs from "Dad", "Father Dear", and "Grandpops."

His entire family is forever grateful for the loyalty and deep faith that he exemplified throughout his life as he humbly followed God's lead. In his own words, "looking back over the years, I am seeing more and more of how God has directed even though I haven't understood how He was doing it at the time. My earnest conviction is that He is in charge and that anything accomplished will be up to Him."

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Audrey, four children, Paul (Naomi) Smith of Abilene, TX, Mark (Barb) Smith of Gallatin, TN, Lynn (Rick) Merrill of Lisle, and David (Carole) Smith of Wheaton, 11 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and two brothers-in-law, Robert Willover and Leon Willover.

Memorial gifts: Alzheimer's Disease Research & Windsor Park.

Services will be held privately, and a memorial service to celebrate Albert's life will be announced at a later date.

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.