Robert Karl Smith

Robert K. (Smitty) Smith, 81, joined his family in Heaven on March 29. 2016. Bob was the son of Paris & Jessie (Carder) Smith of Fairview, W VA. Bob started at the phone company on Oct. 10, 1957 at the age of 23. He was a Systems Technician primarily in Office Communication Services. “Smitty” worked on circuits here in San Diego for several presidents; Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. Working for PacBell for 58 years, he remembered everyone’s birthdays with cards and brought pastries every Monday. When he couldn’t be there he had his son, Parris deliver.

Bob attended West Virginia University where he was in the ROTC. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp as a telephone and telegraph technician. He specialized in teletype machines at that time. He was honorably discharged after serving four years. He then began working for PacBell in Escondido, CA.

Smitty has lived in San Diego throughout his working career with AT&T, primarily in the North County of San Diego. He has been an active volunteer, working with The Telephone Pioneers of America, for almost as long as he has been working for AT&T. Most volunteers were required to work for AT&T for at least 21 years before they could join, but Smitty was able to volunteer after about a year!

While working for PacBell, Smitty met his bride, Irma Jo (Hallett) Bass. After she passed away Bob extended his family with staff at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant, Champions and Charlie's. He also donated 300 lbs. of food a month to the Interfaith Community, always putting everyone before himself.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Jerry at birth, and his soul mate, Irma Jo.

He is survived by his sons, Parris Smith (Escondido), Rob Smith (Escondido), step-son Dennis Bass (VA) and grandchildren James, Zachary & Hannah Bass, granddaughter, Summer Smith (Escondido) and "adopted daughter" Traci Talbot, sisters, Elizabeth Middleton, Mt. Pleasant, IN, Jean Phipps (Bob), Fairmont, W VA and Marjorie Leyh (Don), Greencastle, Pa, nieces Mary Anne Middleton Tinnell (Louisville, KY), Michele Middleton (Nashville, TN) and nephews Robert Phipps (Colleen-Fairmont, W VA) and John Phipps (Latrice-(Nashville, TN) and other great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be at noon Friday, April 8, 2016 at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside, CA. The service will be at 1 p.m. with burial immediately following.

Thank you to nurse, Kristi Kidder, and the medical staff at Palomar Pomerado . The family truly appreciates your exceptional care! Heaven will now be “well wired!”

Godspeed!