Robert Martin Smith, Sr., of Decatur, passed away on January 3, 2024. Visitation will be on Friday, January 5, 2025 from 1-2 PM at Central Baptist Church with a Celebration of Life Service to follow at 2 PM with Bro. Mike Dawson and Bro. Lierte Soares officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn Cemetery.
Mr. Smith is survived by his daughter Jennifer Smith White, Son Robert Martin Smith, Jr. grandchildren Hannah Reed, Brigit Smith, Marshall Wright and Kaitie Smith, great grandchildren Victoria Reed and James Reed.
He was preceded in death by his wife Virginia Hall Smith, to whom he was married for 51 years before her home going.
He was a lifetime resident of Decatur, Al. He graduated from Decatur High School where he and wife Virginia became high school sweethearts. He graduated from the University of Alabama and obtained a Master’s Degree from the University of Alabama Huntsville. He was active as a deacon at Central Baptist Church and was a Deacon Emeritus he was also, active in First Baptist Church in Gulf Shores and with the Baptist Convention of New England.
Those serving as Pallbearers will be Herman Marks, Jr, Harry Vice, Bryan Blass, Tag Glenn, Jacob Reed, and Marshall Wright.
Richard Allen
Like most of our calssmates, Robert was a good guy, even if he was not a traditional Gordon-Bibber. He might have had the good fortune to have come over when Summerville Road school closed when we were 6th Grader's but I did not meet him then if he did. I did not get to know Robert until we were in the 11th Grade, and we became good friends. He lived just across the street from DHS and would invite me to come over to his house, I guess for milk and cookies, after school.
Like so many others, I lost track of Robert after we went our separate ways for college, and I went off to the Army. I did not see him again until our 30th re-union. You will remember, in high school Robert was as skinny as a rail, wirey, but very thin. At the re-union, I could barely recognize Robert. Let's just say he was healthy--very, very healthy. Virginia must have been a wonderful cook!
I never saw Robert after that since I never lived in Decatur after high school, but he and Virginia seem to have had a good life with children and lots of Grandchildren. The picture with the obit looks more like the Robert of our high school years, thin and smiling. RFA