Robert Earl Smith

Bob was born on December 24, 1927, to George E. and Nora Logue Smith in Ottumwa, Iowa. After graduation from Ottumwa High School in 1946, he served our country in the Merchant Marines as a fireman/oiler/water tender in the engine room of the Albert A. Michelson vessel. In 1947, he met Marlus Jean Padget of Batavia, Iowa, whom he married on September 7, 1948. They recently celebrated 67 years together.

In September of 1951, Bob and Marlus packed up with their two young daughters, Lynn and Sheryl, and moved to Houston to find employment in the refineries in Pasadena. He later found work with Stoffel Distributing, a welding supply company. In August of 1958, Bob was asked to open a branch of Stoffel in Bryan, Texas, where he worked and raised his family, which now included a son, Robby. That was a great move! Bob eventually bought the company changing the name to Bob Smith Corporation.

Bob enjoyed boating, camping and RVing. He spent many hours on Lake Belton, patiently teaching his three children and all of their friends how to water ski. The camping under a tarp on the side of the lake eventually became camping inside their RV. In his spare time, Bob enjoyed puttering in the garage and fixing things, whether they needed it or not, and loved driving the RV with Marlus (GG) and their puppy dogs.

He was a member of the Bryan Jaycees and The Bryan Noon Lions Club. Bob could keep his friends entertained with his sharp wit and dry sense of humor. He especially liked sharing that humor with the men's coffee group at Shipley's.

Bob was a lifelong Baptist, who firmly believed in Jesus Christ as his Savior and who invited Jesus to live His life in him and through him. He was a member of Central Baptist Church since 1959. God's word tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16, "This is the reason we do not give up. Our human body is wearing out, but our spirits are getting stronger every day." Daddy never gave up; he never quit and never had idle hands. Rest in peace, my husband, our daddy and our PaPa.

Bob is survived by his wife, Marlus, daughter Lynn Smith, daughter Sheryl Lampo and her husband Frank, son Robby Smith and his fiancée Paula Terrell all of Bryan and College Station. He is survived by eight grandchildren: Jill Smith-Mott of McDade, TX; Katy Smith Wheat of College Station; Brad Smith of Katy, TX; Matt Lampo of Dallas, TX; Marcy Lampo Porrata of Bryan; Robby Stephany Smith, Kayley Smith and Brandon Smith of College Station. He is also survived by six great-grandchildren: Anna Olsta, Jake Olsta, Charli Ann Smith, Avery Smith, Eli Porrata and Gabe Porrata.

Bob is also survived by his sister, Rosemary Smith Armstrong and her husband, John of Pasadena, TX; two nieces, Polly Davidson of Conroe and Karen Bridges of Pasadena and his cousin, Jeanie Phillips, of LaPorte, TX.

A time of visitation will be held Monday, September 15th, from 5:30-7:00 pm, at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan. Services will be held on Tuesday, September 16th, at 1:00 pm in the Family Life Center Gathering Room at Central Baptist Church in Bryan, TX. Pallbearers will be Matt Lampo, Brandon Smith, Adrian Porrata, Eric Mott, Wayne Wheat, Jake Olsta, Jeff Terrell and Jeff Clifford.

A special thank you to Daddy's loving caregivers, Blue, Kadesha, Kim, Katrina and Terri. They all called him PaPa and he always had a smile for them when they came through the door.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the A.S.P.C.A. through the Aggieland Humane Society, 5359 Leonard Rd., Bryan, TX 77807 or to Traditions Home Health Care Hospice, 1862 Rock Prairie Road, Suite 204, College Station, TX 77845