NGU Mourns the Loss of Professor Blake Smith
Posted on: June 18, 2025
Tigerville, SC —North Greenville University is mourning the loss of Professor Blake Smith, who passed away at the age of 48 on Tuesday.
Smith was a professor of art and had been serving at North Greenville since 2003.
“Professor Smith was dedicated to excellence in everything he did, from his teaching to his artwork to his faith,” said NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “His influence on his students and colleagues is a legacy that will persist in our community for many years to come. We are grateful for his quiet smiles, his insightful intellect, and his abiding friendship. Our prayers for his family, friends, and students will continue in the coming days.”
In addition to his 22-year career at NGU, Smith was a talented artist with artwork displayed throughout the world. In 2017, Smith won the Photography Award from the Belton Center for the Arts and the Exhibition Committee Award from the Metropolitan Arts Council. Smith has also earned multiple service awards from North Greenville.
“Blake was a teacher, an artist, a mentor, a colleague, and a friend,” said Dr. Web Drake, Dean of NGU’s College of Communication and Fine Arts. “He left a legacy that will reverberate for generations.”
“As his Dean, I am at a loss for what we will do without him,” continued Drake. “As a father of one of his students, I am crushed that my daughter has lost such a voice of wisdom and guidance. As his friend, I can’t even begin to process his absence. He was a genuinely kind and gentle soul. We are all in mourning.”
Smith was a pottery master and enjoyed fishing. A graduate of Lander University and Clemson University, Smith was a member of Art Bomb Studios, a non-profit arts organization in downtown Greenville.
Smith had a love for his students and invested in their spiritual growth while helping them hone their skills.
“As a Christian, I approach my duties in the classroom in a way that integrates faith, while also guiding and helping students learn the skills they want and need to learn,” Smith said, when asked about his role at the university. “In doing so I help to create students that become transformational leaders for church and society.”
The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 19, from 1-2 p.m. at The McDougald Funeral Home, located at 2211 N Main St in Anderson, SC. The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. in the Chapel. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
