Mary Morris Smith, an employee of the Institute for Creation Research for many years, has retired. The second daughter of ICR founder Dr. Henry M. Morris and his wife, Mary Louise, she was a child when The Genesis Flood was published in 1961. Coauthored by her father and Dr. John Whitcomb, this groundbreaking book launched the modern creation movement, and Mary had a front-row seat as it took off.1
In 1970, Dr. Morris and his family moved from Virginia to California, where he cofounded Christian Heritage College—now San Diego Christian College—with Drs. Art Peters and Tim LaHaye. This unique liberal arts college was committed to a creationist worldview, and its science division became the Institute for Creation Research, still going strong 50+ years later. Over those years, Mary has worn many hats. ICR senior accountant Elizabeth Bearry joined the ministry in 2000 and worked at the California office with Dr. Morris before she eventually moved with ICR to Texas in 2007. She recalled,
Dr. Henry Morris had beautiful handwriting, and Mary typed and edited dozens of his books, as well as articles and other writings. Mary and her family moved to Texas long before ICR relocated here, so the work during that time took place long distance. Considering how much material Dr. Morris wrote over the years, Mary did quite a job!
More recently, Mary served as registrar and academic coordinator with the ICR School of Biblical Apologetics (SOBA), working closely with Dr. James J. S. Johnson, the associate professor of apologetics and chief academic officer. Dr. Johnson had this to say about Mary.
There would be no ICR School of Apologetics without Mary’s labor-of-love hours, weeks, months, and years of administrative service transcribing recorded lectures, telephone calls, Moodle technology processing, and a lot more. In fact, Mary completed her own Master of Christian Education degree at SOBA by converting the recorded content of ICR’s various online degree and certificate programs from live classroom recordings into online programs.
For more than a dozen years, Mary orchestrated ICR’s Association of Christian Schools International programs for the benefit of many Christian teachers and others. By telephone, email, and sometimes in person, Mary got to know a lot of ICR’s online students personally, so many SOBA students know and appreciate her very much. To understate the obvious, all at ICR have been blessed by Mary Smith, and we miss her already—not to mention her chocolate chip cookies and her always-friendly, always-helpful spirit.
These words are inadequate to say how much we thank God and appreciate the honor of working with our sister in Christ, Mary Smith. Hebrews 6:10 fits her well: “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” May God bless her!
The Institute for Creation Research honored Mary and her work at a dinner on June 26, 2025, presenting her with a plaque of appreciation. We wish her and her family the best in the coming years and pray God blesses them mightily.
References
- To learn more about Dr. Morris’ family and life, see the biography written by Mary’s sister, Rebecca Morris Barber, Henry M. Morris: Father of Modern Creationism, available at ICR.org/store.
