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Robert Smith Obituary
March 13, 1952 – January 10, 2026
Bob Smith was born in 1952 in Los Angeles, California and had a beautiful life. After attending undergrad at USC and dental school at Penn, he first practiced dentistry in the Air Force, stationed on O'ahu with his new wife Marcy. A few years in Long Beach led to joining an endodontics practice in Bakersfield, where he spent almost 45 years, raising children Erica and Sam. He loved riding his bike, playing pickleball, jamming in several Dead cover bands, and spending time with his family in Carpinteria.
Bob passed away unexpectedly on Saturday morning, heading out for a bike ride.
He is survived by wife Marcy, children Erica (Eli) and Sam, and grandchildren Max and Jonah.
A private ceremony was held on Wednesday.
www.bakersfield.com/obits
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Memories and Condolences
for Robert Smith
MARTINA ALBERT
January 23, 2026
I remember him from UCSB. A good kind man and I´m so sorry. He is my age. I too was born in that magical year of 1952. May the source of peace be with you all. He was going out to rid his bike what a trooper and happy man he was may his hearts goodness abide in each of you as you always remember the life he left behind in you all. All my love and light as you grieve and grieve you must do. How work but oh so nessessary for your strength. Shalom Martina
Steven Kray
January 23, 2026
I am still processing Bob's passing. Bob was my best friend and "brother" from junior high through college. Our last trip together was our cross-country road trip with Mark Abelson from the Valley to New York and back home through Canada. During our teens, his father and mother were my second parents. When living in Long Beach and at the VA, he once rode his bike all the way to Laguna Beach, up some most difficult hills to get to my home in the bluffs of Laguna. When Bob moved to Bakersfield, we lost contact for a while, but in the last few years, we reconnected. My wife and I visited him and Marcy in Bakersfield. We always spoke on the phone on our birthdays for not less than a solid hour. He is the 13-year -old on the far right in the attached picture taken at my Bar Mitzvah. I miss you, Bob. Love Steve
Al Tovar
January 22, 2026
Our deepest condolences to the entire Smith family . It´s never ever easy......and many of us know about this ....... but we keep our Faith and Love in God for each other. I met and knew Bob through the cycling community in Bakersfield . We never really rode together , how odd was that (I was always in the dirt ha ) but we always waved and gave each other the good ole helmet nod in passing . He really came into my life in a profound way 5 years ago when I was at home recovering from my cardiac event when he emailed me expressing to me that he was there for me and if there was absolutely anything I or my family needed and that he was there to help !! It moved me to tears that he took the time to reach out . There was more that was written but, in essence , he simply and wholeheartedly just reached out with love and kindness. He told me , "whenever you´re ready Al for a ride" that he would be ready to ride with me , even if it was on dirt/ gravel ha . Well , we were both ready and he rode with me . He was a friend I needed and that also shared the same passion for endurance sports i.e. cycling during those rough / tough times for me as I was recovering. He´ll never be forgotten and always remembered . Rest in Peace my friend
Laurie and Steve
January 17, 2026
We loved you dearly, Bob. We love Marcy and the rest of your family and will make sure they feel our support always. We miss you!!
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Matthew Sarad
January 17, 2026
For Bob.
"Ripple"
By Grateful Dead
Songwriters: Jerome J. Garcia & Robert C. Hunter
If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine
And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung
Would you hear my voice come through the music
Would you hold it near as it were your own?
It´s a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken
Perhaps they're better left unsung
I don´t know, don't really care
Let there be songs to fill the air
Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow
Reach out your hand if your cup be empty
If your cup is full may it be again
Let it be known there is a fountain
That was not made by the hands of men
There is a road, no simple highway
Between the dawn and the dark of night
And if you go no one may follow
That path is for your steps alone
Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow
You who choose to lead must follow
But if you fall you fall alone
If you should stand then who´s to guide you?
If I knew the way I would take you home
Michael Clark
January 16, 2026
I wish it were simpler to articulate how magical it can be when friends engage together in an artistic endeavor. Joy to which one surrenders the soul because it's comfortable, it appears perfectly natural, and you love your co-conspirators in a way it causes you to recognize this fine thing that we do is eternal. Thanks, Bobby, for your wisdom, your humor, your indefatigable spirit, your generosity, and your headlong dive into the murky Waters of learning to play with a band. The old reaper has physically broken up this old gang of mine. We'll be looking for you on the other side. Meanwhile, keep practicing while those of us you left behind will attempt to heal our broken hearts. Love you, Bobby.
Matthew Sarad
January 16, 2026
I met Bob Summer of 2013. We played together in the RiffKats, The Huckleberries, and Dwarfrat. Our last Dwarfrat rehearsal was to be Friday the 9th, but it was not to be.
We lost our musical brother.
Mark Ramirez
January 16, 2026
I very sorry to hear of Bob's passing. I met and played Pickleball with Bob and other good friends at the Bakersfield Racquet Club. I last played Pickleball with Bob on the new courts at Jastro Park. I know Bob was a very active cyclist and he played guitar in his band. Bob was a good friend and a true gentleman. My Condolences to the Smith family.
"Be With God Mr. Bob Smith"
Melissa Howard
January 15, 2026
Very sorry to learn of Dr. Smith´s passing. Root canals don´t usually generate good memories, but after each one with Dr. Smith I left pain-free and confident I had been in the best hands possible. His professionalism and kindness were always appreciated. Sincere condolences to Dr. Smith´s family and friends.
Carie Smith
January 15, 2026
I´m sorry to hear of Dr Smiths passing. I worked in the Dental field in Bakersfield for over 30 years and knew him there through my previous employer. I even had a root canal done by him one time. Fast forward to about 5-8 years ago and I ran into Dr smith. in Carpinteria, walking into a Rotary meeting. I have intended for all of this time to get a hold of him and see if he would like to join us. I believe he said he had moved here or at least had a vacation place here? I´m sorry to hear of his passing. I also knew his friend karen that worked for him for many many years. My condolences, Carie Smith.
Roehl Caragao
January 15, 2026
My condolences go out to Marcie, Erica, Sam and the entire Smith family.
A few cycling adventures with Bob Smith that some of you don´t know about.
Bob and I had many ultra rides on his Red Co-Motion Tandem The Speedster.
Who remembers the day´s of Bob and I on the tandem riding on group rides in the late 90´s and early 2000´s?
Rides to Arvin, Bodfish, Caliente, up Bena on the way back into town on Edison Hwy going 28-30 mph.
Bob didn´t like descending on any bike let an alone a tandem. He would want to switch positions whenever there was a long stretch of descending.
In 2001, we trained for several months to get accepted to compete in the 2001 Furnace Creek 508 (508 miles/35k ft.). Back then you had to prove you were worthy (list of your cycling accomplishments, etc.) before you were accepted to compete as a solo rider.
After miles and miles of training with the Bakersfield Boys (Hank, Scott, Glen, Herb, Mike M., Roger, Richard, Wayne, Kerry, Mike M, Lance, Greg G., Frank, Zack, Curt) and a host of other Bakersfield riders,
Bob in his smirk smile says to me, we should test our legs and ride the Fresno Climb to Kaiser Ride (155mi/15,500ft) before attempting the
FC 508. Reluctantly, I agreed. It was my first C2K. It was 109 degrees that year coming back into town (Fresno) from Kaiser Pass (9200ft).
We finished with an elapsed time of 10:07:00.
It was exhausting, hot, painful, and tested our mental toughest for sure. Not very many tandems attend this ride. Bob was smiling from ear to ear when he found out we finished in the top 5. It helped catapult us in competing in the FC 508 that same year.
I was 38 & Bob was 47. We were on fire that year.
We finished The 2001 Furnace Creek 508 (Valencia to 29 Palms) as Solo Tandem (Red Robin) Division in 1st place and 3rd place overall with an elapsed time of 33:34:00. We were off the bike for only 22min. (Bob needed to pee)
Bob´s first FC 508 was in 1996. It was the 4x Men´s Open Relay Team of Bob, Scott Garrison,
Lance St Pierre & Ted Ahlem (Cougar). They took top honors coming in 1st over another Bakersfield Team Ron Jones and his 4x Men´s Open Relay team, by a slim margin of 6 min. Unfortunately, Ron blew a stop sign early on with officials watching on a particular intersection. He gave his team a 15min. plenty which was assessed at the last Time Station (Amboy). I crewed for Bob´s team that year. It was the most exciting race from start to finish I´ve been a part of in the 508. It was hard for the crew to rest because it so close. With less than 200 miles to go, they were behind Ron´s team by only 10-15 min. We knew if we can stay within that time gap, we had a chance to finish 1st.
The crew and riders needed to make sure transitions were spot on. When we checked in at the last TS, b4 the finish, there were less than 20 miles to go. Ron and his team watched as we rode by them with a distraught look in their faces. Bob and his team were ecstatic. They were now in first place.
Bob´s team was always
Behind until the end where it really counted.
4x Mens Tandem Open Relay (Centipede) finished elapsed time: 23:20:00 (record 40+ division)
Mike Mosely/ Bob Smith. Curt Pierce/Roehl, Scott Rosenlieb/Scott Garrison, Hank Pfister/Ron Jones. This was another exciting race until it wasn´t.There were 2 Action Sports Team´s: The Tandem´s and Kerry Ryan´s 4x Men´s team (Bison) which consisted of Kerry, Mike Marotta, Greg Glitner, & Pat Tafoya. For the first 50 miles they were ahead of us
by a few minutes. Once on the open flats b4 Tehachapi, we were off and running. We passed them and started pulling away heading into California City (downhill). We never looked back. We assumed they would start pulling us back when we started to climb up Townes Pass or even sooner like climbing up to Johannesburg.
When we got to the base of Townes Pass, (9.4 miles / 3,412 ft of gain with a gradient average of 6.9%)we attack it with a vengeance transitioning tandems every 2-2.5 min. We only used 3 tandems while our heaviest and best descenders took over the down hill. We finished ahead of them by a
57min. margin. If they didn´t have navigation issues it might have been a closer race.
Bob and I also had several double & century rides on the tandem. We always enjoyed tearing up our cycling friends and other riders including out climbing some of them.
Bob and I also ran together with the Bagles & Blenders running group. We´d run 6-8 miles at 5a then get ready to ride the tandem for 80-100 miles. Bob sometimes had crazy challenging ideas.
Bob will definitely be missed. So many fond memories with this guy.
A very godly, wholesome person. Always willing to give a lending hand when possible. Him & Mike M. helped me move heavy furniture into my home in Bakersfield 22 years ago.
Bob was an exemptional extraordinary person
He will b missed.
RIP Bob Smith my number 1 tandem teammate in my book.
Bailey Abbott
January 14, 2026
Bob was an all around good guy. Tailwinds my friend.
Drew Sharma
January 14, 2026
I first met Bob at a local jam session in Santa Barbara back in 2018 and we "clicked" right away. I play drums and he plays bass and we eventually started jamming and gigging in a local Grateful Dead cover band called Dead and Kickin. He was the nicest guy and super dedicated to the band and the music. Our bond was strong given we mainly spoke through music and I will miss his energy and being "in the music" with him.
Patrick Birchfield
January 14, 2026
Dr. Smith was a good man. I will sincerely miss our long conversations he was one of a kind.
Leck Read
January 14, 2026
We will miss you on our rides . You were one of our good guys. So long, my friend.
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