Noel Christian Smith, 29, of Fayetteville, Ark., and a former resident of Vicksburg, passed away on Oct. 10, 2010, at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, Ark., following a two-year fight against brain cancer.

He was born Dec. 19, 1980, in Greenville, S.C., to Peter Smith and Karen Pelfrey Smith. Noel graduated in 1999 from the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., and in 2003 from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and minor in sustainable development. He was twice a recipient of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship for Environmental Studies.

Noel was a senior legislative assistant and speech writer in the U.S. Congress and law student at the University of Arkansas, where he was a Dean’s List student and member of the Law Review before his illness. Noel was also a writer for the University of Arkansas Agricultural Law Center and a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather John G. Pelfrey of Dalton, Ga.; and paternal grandparents Edmund G. and Alice McKay Smith of St. Louis, Mo.

Noel is survived by his wife, Hannah Lambiotte Smith; a forthcoming daughter, Emma Arlene Smith; parents, Peter and Karen Smith; brothers, Liam Nathaniel Smith of Chattanooga and Brian Edmund Smith of Houston and sister-in-law Sarah Register Smith; maternal grandmother, Arlene Pelfrey Rucker; father and mother-in-law, Joe and Sherry Lambiotte of Fayetteville; brother-in-law, Jered Lambiotte of Baton Rouge; and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins and nieces.

Noel’s humor, spirit and enthusiasm will be missed by countless others.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville with the Revs. Lowell Grisham and Suzanne Stoner officiating.

The life of Noel Christian Smith will be celebrated at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Baylor School Chapel in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Memorial contributions may be made to brain cancer research at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and CaringBridge.org. An educational fund will be established for daughter Emma Arlene Smith upon her birth.

To sign the online guest book, please visit www.nelsonberna.com.

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory of Fayetteville.