Bob Smith

Bob Smith, of Groesbeck, passed away at his home on Sunday, February 8, 2015, at age 72. Visitation will be Thursday, February 12, 2015 from 6:00 -8:00 P.M. at Groesbeck Funeral Home. Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, February 13, 2015 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Donald Fulton of the New Salem Baptist Church (near Rosebud) officiating. Burial will follow in Faulkenberry Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Tommie Guest, Rick Shackelford, John Arabie, Larry Overcast, Gene Dashner, and Harry Littlewood. Honorary pallbearers will be Alvis Wedgeman, J. D. Laird, and Scotty Bray. Bob was born March 9, 1942 to Robert Forest Smith and Beatrice Bearden Smith in Colorado City. He grew up in the Colorado City, Big Spring and Coahoma area, graduating from high school in Coahoma in 1960. Bob served in the U. S. Army from 1964 through 1966, and worked as a helicopter mechanic stationed in Germany. Bob married Gwen Young in June 1967, and they lived in Midland, where they raised their two sons. While living in Midland, he boarded horses on his property, which was primarily to keep his sons occupied. He worked for Mobil Oil Company for thirty-two years, and retired in 1997. In 1999, Bob and Gwen moved to his father’s ranch near Groesbeck. He designed and built a home on the property, and continued with the cattle operation after his dad passed away. He was not a city man, and loved the peacefulness and serenity of the country life, with his cattle, wildlife, his private lakes and fishing and his border collie. After thirty-six years of marriage, Gwen passed away in 2003. Bob was introduced to Betty Sue Polk Woltman, who was living in Houston, on December 11, 2004, and almost a year later, they were united in marriage on November 12, 2005. Betty moved to the ranch outside Groesbeck, sharing Bob’s life there. Bob’s pride and joy for the past two and one-half years was his one and only grandson, Preston. Bob had been a golfer for many years, and continued to play several times a week in the Mart and Waco area and was a very good golfer. He had spent a nice day playing a good game of golf on Friday, scoring 86 on his final round of golf. Bob was preceded in death by his parents and first wife. He is survived by his wife, Betty Smith of Groesbeck; son and daughter-in-law, Tod and Jennifer Smith of McKinney; son and daughter-in-law, Kyle and Marjie Smith of Plano; grandson, Preston Smith of Plano; brother and sister-in-law, Darrell and Clara Smith of Kingsland; sister, Pat Shackelford of Groesbeck; and nieces and nephews, Craig, Cindy, Kevin, Suzie, Larry, and Rick.