Robert Joseph Schorp Smith

1926 - 2023

Robert Joseph Schorp Smith
10/18/1926 - 09/28/2023
Robert Joseph Schorp Smith, 96, of Houston, Texas went home to be with The Lord on September 28, 2023. Bob, as he was known by his friends and family, was born October 18, 1926 in Pearsall, Texas to Walter Frank Smith and Ida Helen Schorp Smith. Upon graduation at the age of 16 from Pearsall High School where he played football and was president of his senior class he moved to Port Arthur, Texas where he worked for a contractor developing aviation materials for the war effort. He then moved to Washington DC and clerked for the US War Department until December of 1944 when
he volunteered for the Air Force and began basic training at Shepherd Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. Upon completion, he was transferred to Lowry Field in Denver for additional training and then on to Germany. In Germany, he was based at Furstenfeldbruck, formerly the largest Luftwaffe facility in the country.
Bob, left the service in May of 1946 and moved to Laredo, Texas to work as a roughneck. In May of the following year, he enrolled at University of Oklahoma and went on to receive his BS in Geology with a double minor in physics and chemistry. After graduation he returned to Laredo, this time to work as a geologist for Chevron. They later sent him to Tulia, Texas where he was head of a geophysical crew and then on to Amarillo to do the same. He moved to San Angelo after being promoted to Exploration and then on to Galveston where he did offshore work. He later was transferred to Houston and then on to Corpus Christi in 1960.
In 1962 he married the love of his life, Cynthia Bingman Smith. They lived in Corpus until 1965 and were then transferred to Midland, Texas where Bob was put in charge of acquisitions for Chevron's western division. His final transfer with Chevron was back to Houston in 1968, working in acquisitions on the Vice President's staff.
In 1971, he traveled to the USSR for the International Association of Petroleum Geologists convention, while there he suffered a heart attack at the age of 45. Upon recovery he made the decision to resign from Chevron and form his own company named after his family's ranch and childhood home in south Texas. Santa Maria International was formed in 1972. Bob ran the company for over 45 years and traveled extensively for his new endeavor to places such as Kaszakhstan, Egypt, Turkey, Malaysia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Yemen and beyond. This all led to his amazing love of traveling the world.
In his later years, Bob enjoyed spending time on his beautiful Texas hill country ranch with his wife, riding his favorite horse Bonita, working cattle and enjoying the peace that came to him from the heritage of the land.
He was a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologist in the Division of Professional Affairs, The Houston Geological Society, past member of the Houston Producers Forum and a member of The World Affairs Council. Bob was also a member of The Sons of the Republic Of Texas, a life member of the 100 Club of Houston and the Houstonian Club where he made many lifelong friends. He was on the Board of Directors of Tradition Bank and the Board of Directors of Transglobe Energy, Advisory position.

Our precious husband, father and grandfather is proceeded in death by his parents Frank and Ida and his sister Helen Smith Carroll.
He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Cynthia and their three children and nine grandchildren who adored him. His son, Robert Smith and wife Alice of Houston, Texas and their two children Robert Louis and Michelle. His daughters Harriet Smith Essman and her husband Jim of Midland, Texas and their three children, Jimmy, Macy and Smith and Helen Smith Todora and her husband Michael of Fort Worth, Texas and their four children, Robert Thomas, Harrison, Vivian and John. He is also survived by his sister Mary Jo Phillips of Pearsall, Texas.
Bob will be buried on his beloved Texas hill country ranch in the family cemetery following a private service there.
In memory of Robert Joseph Schorp Smith, contributions may be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O.Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486 or MDAnderson.org/Gifts.