Robert "Bob" Lee Smith

Robert “Bob” Lee Smith went home to his heavenly father on November 9, 2025 in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, surrounded by family.

Bob met “the love of his life”, Beverly, when he was 5 years old, throwing rocks at a girl across the street in Holden, MO. Rocks led to romance, marriage in 1952, two children and a love that celebrated 73 wedding anniversaries.

After the wedding, Bob was drafted by the Army. Fortunately his math skills led him to a job in accounting rather than infantry for the next two years. While he was away, Beverly researched college options for Bob, as she already had earned a college degree. She discovered General Motors Institute in Flint, MI.

For the next 5 years, Bob alternated 12 weeks in Flint studying engineering and then 12 weeks working at a GM manufacturing plant in Kansas City, MO. He graduated with a mechanical engineering degree and a job with 5 years seniority.

The first house (purchased with VA assistance) had room for 2 daughters (Jerri and Jill) and the first family dog.

GM liked to move its employees so in 1973 the family moved to Troy, Michigan and then in 1978 to Shreveport, Louisiana where Bob had been selected to help open a new manufacturing plant. He became the manager of engineering for the Shreveport plant. Bob took early retirement from GM at the age of 58.

Bob and Beverly enjoyed 60 years of good health together, traveling on cruises and going to see their grandchildren. They moved to Hot Springs Village in 2003 and joined other GM friends who had retired there. Bob golfed 3-4 times per week until the age of 89.

Bob is survived by his wife Beverly, daughter Jerri Smith (St. Paul, MN), daughter Jill Kramer and her husband Steve (Chester, MD) and two grandsons, Mike and his wife Ariel (Washington, DC) and David (Vancouver, WA). Bob was preceded in death by son-in-law David Weidt - Jerri, parents Lorene and Oscar Smith, and siblings Vesta and Jackie.

A celebration of a life exemplifying love is being planned for Saturday, December 6 at 10 AM at Christ of the Hills Methodist Church, Hot Springs Village. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the HSV Animal Shelter or Wounded Warriors.

Bob will most be remembered as a husband who took his marriage vows and his faith seriously. He pushed himself hard to improve his strength so he could share the same room with Beverly for as long as possible. Until his final breath, he was thinking about Beverly, exemplifying a favorite song - Alabama’s “Forever’s as Far as I’ll Go.”

We already miss him.