Baptist Briefs: R. G. Puckett dies

Longtime editor Puckett dies. R.G. Puckett, editor emeritus of the North Carolina Biblical Recorder and a founding director of Associated Baptist Press, died May 12, months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. R.G. Puckett displays an engraved clock presented to him as award for lifetime achievement in 2011.Puckett, 80, worked as a Baptist journalist longer than any person in the 20th century. He served with the Ohio Baptist Messenger, the Kentucky Western Recorder and the Maryland Baptist, which also published the New England Baptist and the Penn-Jersey Baptist, before becoming editor of the Biblical Recorder in 1982. Survivors include Puckett’s wife of 58 years, the former Robbie Lake of Mackville, Ky., two daughters and grandchildren.

Florida editor accepts seminary post. Florida Baptist Witness editor Jim Smith will step down July 31 to become chief spokesman for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., the Florida Baptist Convention newspaper reported. Smith, 48, worked previously at Southern Seminary as news director and director of public relations before he succeeded Michael Chute as executive editor of the Jacksonville-based newspaper in 2001. Smith also worked as information director at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and for six years was director of government relations at the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He was director of communications for the Republican Study Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. In his new position, Smith will oversee the editorial content of seminary publications, supervise the news operation, and lead public and media relations.