Robert Ivan Smith
Robert (Bob) I. Smith of Flagstaff went to be with our Lord on October 26, 2016.
Born in 1932, Bob grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota in a proud Lutheran tradition influenced by his grandfather, a Lutheran pastor. In his youth, he enjoyed jazz drumming, amateur radio, electronics, and pheasant hunting. After serving in the U.S. Army, Bob attended South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City, where he achieved his BS in Electrical Engineering. In the late 1950s, he began work for General Electric in Tempe and Phoenix, where he married his first wife Sylvia at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Phoenix, and had three sons, Paul, Eric, & Daniel. Bob's career also included working for Honeywell, Courier, and as an electronics instructor at Glendale Community College. Bob married his second wife Betty on Christmas Day in 1974, and they enjoyed a great marriage with many travels together, often by train, and to many lighthouses and beaches along the west coast. They attended Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Glendale. For many years, Bob and Betty maintained a summer residence in Flagstaff, where he achieved his MS in Vocational Education from Northern Arizona University. In 2000, he joined Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Flagstaff. Bob had many interests and hobbies, and always strived to be at his best. He was a devoted Christian, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He cared a great deal about family members' lives.
A service and lunch reception for Bob will be held Saturday, November 19, 11:00am, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 2605 N. Fort Valley Road (Hwy 180), Flagstaff, 86001.