Gary W. Smith

Reverend Gary Walker Smith, 79, of West Hartford, died peacefully at home on January 20, 2026, surrounded by the immense love of his family. Gary was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan, in 1946 to the late Harold and Dorothy Smith. The eldest of seven children, he was raised in Avon and West Hartford, Connecticut, and graduated from Conard High School in 1965. He went on to serve in the Army Reserve and attended Yankton College in South Dakota.

During the transition from high school to college, Gary met and began dating Linda Merrill of Somers, Connecticut. They married in December 1969. Gary graduated in the spring of 1971 with a B.A. in religion and social work and later that year began his studies at United Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he earned his Master of Divinity. In April 1975, one year prior to his ordination into Christian ministry with the United Church of Christ (UCC), Gary and Linda welcomed the first of their two daughters, Erica Ann, followed by Abby Lin in 1983.

Over more than fifty years as an ordained minister, Gary served churches throughout the Midwest and Connecticut, with his longest tenures in Excelsior and Barnesville, Minnesota, and later in Branford, Connecticut. His ministry was grounded in deep compassion, a love of community, a commitment to social justice, and the conviction that as Christians we are not only invited—but mandated—to love our neighbors: the lost, the least, the left behind, and those the world insists do not matter. This commitment was evident in his work with the Branford Counseling Center, as a co founder of Camp Totokett, and through his years of participation in and support of community building efforts in Guasmo Sur, Ecuador, with the nonprofit AUF, Inc. A central part of Gary’s ministry was his devotion to young people—making sure they knew they were valued and mattered in a world that too often told them otherwise—and his mentoring of a new generation of ministers and justice seeking, compassionate leaders.

Outside of ministry, Gary cherished two things above all else: his family and the natural world. His family included his beloved wife and best friend, Linda; daughters, Erica and Abby; grandchildren, Megan, Maya, and Noelle; son-in-law Brian; soon to be grandson-in-law Andrew; and his younger sisters, Kimberly and Melanie. He was also deeply grateful for his “chosen family”—friends from across the country and around the world, spanning generations, whom he loved and who loved him in return with deep and abiding affection.

Gary found sacred peace in the outdoors, where he reveled in the beauty of God’s creation. A devoted environmentalist and conservationist, his second pulpit was often his tree stand, especially during hunting season. He also loved fishing, hiking, and camping, and in 2014, to celebrate his retirement as Senior Minister of the First Congregational Church of Branford, he hiked the Appalachian Trail.

A hallmark of Gary’s life was his sense of humor. Though he took his call to ministry seriously, he never took himself too seriously and delighted in a good practical joke. His playful spirit came through during summers at Silver Lake Conference Center, canoe trips in the Boundary Waters with youth groups, legendary water fights in South Dakota, time spent with friends on the Minnesota plains or floating on one of the 10,000 lakes, mission trips to Almost Heaven, West Virginia, countless Confirmation classes, and adventures with his grandchildren and their friends—often in national parks across the country. His laughter was contagious, and his joy served as a reminder that fun and play can be sacred, spiritual practices.

Gary was a giant in the lives of all who knew him, and to be loved by him was a gift beyond measure.