Elizabeth A. Smith, “Betsy,” B.A. ‘06
"It will cost more to give more, but it will affect more." These words, written by Betsy Smith, sum up her short but undeniably effective life. Betsy was well known for giving –time, talent and energy. She was also recognized for her gospel effectiveness at Taylor University, in Grant County and back home in Illinois.
Betsy was the first child born to Dan and Jeanie Smith. As she grew up amongst her siblings Heidi, Mary, and Peter, Betsy developed a deep-seated interest in others.
From the day she set foot on Taylor’s campus in the autumn of 2002, Betsy’s passion was for people. One friend recalls that Betsy "intentionally placed herself where people were." That meant, in part, serving as a Personnel Assistant on Fourth Floor Bergwall, ministering with ReaLife in Marion and working on the Taylor World Outreach Cabinet. It also helped motivate Betsy to spend January 2005 with a lighthouse team in South Africa.
Betsy returned from overseas with a greater resolve and a deeper enthusiasm for serving others. Her desire to proclaim the gospel, especially with an eye toward racial reconciliation, began dominating her time and energy. “She skipped class to go to meetings, and she skipped meetings to be with people” was a description given of Betsy. Her Christ-centered character and conduct was regularly forcing others to evaluate their own attitudes and behaviors.
The concluding paragraph of Betsy’s personal mission statement reads: "At the end of my rope, God’s rope just begins. I must give my life away to truly find it. Always remember that I am only working for an audience of One."
Birth date: October 9, 1983
Hometown: Mt. Zion, Illinois
High School: Decatur Christian
University: Taylor University
Major: Exercise Science
