DR. ROBERT GEORGE SMITH

1923 - 2017

DR. ROBERT GEORGE SMITH, MD, age 93 years, went home to be with our Lord on May 16, 2017, after battling a long illness. He was surrounded by family in his Chesapeake home when he passed away peacefully. He was born August 13, 1923, in Proctorville, Ohio, to the parents of George William Smith and Audrey Pauline Schultz. He was a WWII veteran. He was an Army Air Corps Pilot and flew planes in the China-Berma Theater. Flying around Mount Everest, he was one of the "Hump Pilots" and remained active in the Hump Pilot Association all his life. He was predeceased in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George William Smith, and his first wife, Mary Ellen Trent Smith. They were married 42 years. He was also predeceased by his daughter, Annette Marie Smith, and his grandson, Robert Alan Tate Smith. He then married Debra Ann Foley Smith on June 13, 1987. They would have celebrated 30 years of marriage this year. He is survived by Debra Ann Foley Smith (Wife), Robert Smith (Charlotte), Mark Smith (Chris), Peter Smith (Sue Bird), Teresa Nichols (Mike), Jane Hainesworth (Tyrus), George Smith, Luke Smith (Kathryn), Adam Smith (fiancé Cally McGee) and Jacob Smith. He was very proud of all ten of his children, his thirteen grandchildren and his 17 great-grandchildren, with one on the way. He attended The Ohio State University where he received his undergraduate degree as well as his medical degree. After he received his M.D., Dr. Smith moved to Proctorville, Ohio, to do his internship at St. Mary's Hospital. He then began his private practice as a G.P. in Chesapeake, Ohio. After three years he decided to do an orthopedic residency at Bowman-Gray University in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Shriners Hospitals for Children in Greenville, S.C. After completing the four years residency, he moved to Huntington, West Virginia. He entered a partnership with Dr. James Heckman. They practiced at St. Mary's Hospital and Cabell Huntington Hospital where he worked as an Orthopedic Surgeon for 22 years. After having been retired for three years, he decided to join the medical staff at the Veterans Administration Hospital. There he became the Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Marshall University. He officially retired again in 2003 at the age of 80. He loved putting things back together, especially as an Orthopedic Surgeon. He loved to snow ski. He skied all over the world, but his favorite places to go were Switzerland, Colorado and West Virginia. He was an avid hunter. He hunted everything from bears to caribou and elk. He owned over 300 acres of land in West Virginia where he loved to hunt when he had free time. He loved to play tennis. He was very competitive. He loved to travel and see as many new places as he could. He especially loved it when his family could get together and join him. He loved the beach and flying kites on the beach. He loved holidays, especially Christmas. He loved being with his family, eating yummy food and making memories. During Christmas he loved to watch electric trains. He even built a special train board to go under our Christmas tree. Every Christmas the boys went up to the attic and carried the heavy train board down three flights of stairs to the delight of their father. He loved food, especially dessert - if you let him, he would have eaten dessert before dinner every day. His motto to live by was "persistence." If you want anything bad enough, you must persist. Visitation will be at Hall Funeral Home and Crematory in Proctorville, Ohio, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2017. The Funeral Service will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 19, 2017, at Hall Funeral Home and Crematory, Proctorville, Ohio. Burial will be at Rome-Proctorville Cemetery, Proctorville, Ohio. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/hall or ehallfuneralhome.com.