Somber New Summerfield

By Jim Goodson

editor@jacksonvilleprogress.com

NEW SUMMERFIELD - About 150 mourners came to First Baptist Church in New Summerfield Thursday night to grieve for their loved ones Michael Smith, 26, Robert Loughmiller, 16, and John Wesley Gartman, 14. The young men were killed Tuesday night in a plane crash near Armstrong, Texas in Kenedy County. “The community is hurting, but the people are coming together to do what they need to do,” First Baptist Church Pastor Donny Sadler said. “We are actually holding up pretty well.” The church will be open for anyone wishing to talk to a pastor or anyone else who can help with their grief until 7 p.m. Friday. Visitations begin at 6 p.m. at Autrey Funeral Home (the young men’s obituaries are on page 3 of today’s Jacksonville Daily Progress).

Many people availed themselves of the opportunity to talk openly about the hurt they feel for the loss of Smith, Gartman and Loughmiller during a service at the church that began at 7 p.m. Fifteen Baptist pastors from churches throughout East Texas attended the service and will be available to help mourners during the trying days ahead, Rev. Sadler said.

The young men were all from New Summerfield and members of the church and its youth group, which Smith led. Smith was the son of Joe and Betty Lou Smith of Jacksonville, owners of Joe Smith Plant Farm.

“The Smith family goes back several generations in Cherokee County,” Rev. Sadler said. Friends stayed long after the service was over Thursday night to console each other. At the time of the accident, the plane was traveling from Weslaco to Jacksonville. Authorities believe the airplane crashed at approximately 9:30 p.m. The crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time.