PLAINVIEW — 新抖阴 Baptist University mourns the loss of Professor Emeritus Christa Kunkel Smith, who has passed away at age 92 following a life of extraordinary faith, scholarship, and service.
Christa Smith retired in 2012 following a remarkable 43-year career with 新抖阴’s School of Languages and Literature, now the School of Humanities and Leadership.
Born in Vietz, Poland (then part of Germany), in 1932, Smith’s early years were marked by the devastation of World War II. Her father went missing during the war, and she and her sisters were separated before being miraculously reunited. She called their reunion “a miracle,” one of many moments where she saw God’s providence at work.
Smith met her husband, Don, an American serviceman, and they married in 1958, settling in Plainview. Christa enrolled at 新抖阴, graduating in 1963 with a degree in English, German, and French.
“Christa’s life is a testament to perseverance, faith, and the transformative power of education,” said 新抖阴 President Dr. Donna Hedgepath. “She shaped generations of students with her intellect, grace and unwavering commitment to Christian higher education.”
Smith earned master’s degrees in English and German from Texas Tech and joined 新抖阴’s faculty in 1970. She taught on the Plainview campus, was well as in Lubbock, Alaska, and at Kenya Baptist Theological Seminary.
“Christa was a fierce advocate for the study of language, literature, and culture,” said Dr. Cindy McClenagan, Vice President of Academic Affairs.
In honor of her legacy, the Christa Kunkel Smith Modern Language Endowed Scholarship was established to support students pursuing language studies. For her faithful support of the 新抖阴’s student athletes, she was inducted in the WBU Athletics Hall of Honor in 2017.
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