George Robert Smith

April 27th, 1934 - February 7th, 2008

George Robert's Memory Wall

We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of George Robert here, so that the family and other loved ones can always see it. Share your favorite stories or comment on those shared by others.

Learning of Bob’s death brought back some good old memories for me about Bob, his family, South Haven, and my dad. During the 60’s, the Smith’s lived on South Haven Street for awhile near us on Blue Star Hwy. I was just a kid back then, and Bob and my dad hung around together because we lived close by and I think because they were only a few months apart in age.
I remember Bob’s dog climbed the tree out in front of his place up to over 10 feet up and Bob showed a lot of pride in that dog. I have never seen any dog do that trick since.
We did fish all together, I remember three times, twice in a pond in my Grandpa’s farm and once on an inland lake. We got a boat for the inland lake fishing and they got beer, my dad and Bob got drunk and had a lot of fun while I got stuck trying to keep the boat steady and my head out of the water . . . we got skunked that time.
Visited the Smiths every once and a while and ran grocery errands for Beverly once or twice, remember her being an Elvis fan with lots or records.
Bob talked me into driving a riding lawn mower/tractor in one 60’s summer parade. I had never driven anything with a motor so I was a bit scared but Bob talked me through it so I was in the parade with Shirley and MaryAnn picking-up or shoveling crap into the back. Seems I didn’t know about pushing the choke back in so I was idly driving a bit fast for Shirley and MaryAnn whom were getting mad and close to throwing some crap at the back of my head. Well, Bob saw our problem near the parking lot that day and came running out into the parade to our rescue and fixed the choke and kept us from having a crap throwing fight.
70’s were different and Smiths had moved out to the country so I did not see them much. Did run into Smitty in the Pub at Broadway Lanes one night in the late 70’s and we drank together at the bar while we watched a Monday night football game. He created a little betting game while we watched the game where we would bet penny-nickle-dime on correctly guessing yardage gained, lost, or 1st downs conversions. His rules, he won.
We talked a little and I mentioned I would probably be joining the Navy soon, and Smitty said, “Do It” and like other Navy men, Smitty had a positive attitude about the Navy.
Smitty was a good man and that is really all any man wants to hear once in awhile.

Patrick Valind

Bob and I had a lot of good times togather and he will be greatly missed by me.There were a lot of times we would go fishing at the trailer park here in Florida. We would go early in the morning and go thru the locks and stay out until about noon,then we would go to another lock about six miles and have a couple drinks before we would go home.Some times I know Bev and Pat got a litte mad at us,but they put up with us. If you wanted to hear a good joke,Bob sure new some. Pat and I learned a couple good card games from Bev and him.It's hard to think of a man that will be missed more than Bob. I know his family will have a lot of fond memorys to last a long time.

David & Pat Baun

Our sympathies to all the Smiths. For the Wolters' family of St.Louis, the two weeks of our summers in the 70's and early 80's spent at our family's cottage in South Haven, were truely memorable, probably in large part due to the fun imparted by Smitty. The Blueberry Dragon took the prize. How Bob Wolters, gone now almost ten years, adored fishing for steelhead with Smitty.
Love, sympathy and thanks for the memories to Bev, Shirley, MaryAnn and JoEllen,
from Judy Julie, Missy and Vicky