Funeral services for Mr. Robert Edward Smith will be Friday, October 11, 2024, at 2pm in the chapel of Shelton-Hunt Funeral Home with Scott Butler officiating, burial will follow in Gibson County Memory Gardens. Visitation will be Friday, October 11, 2024, from 12pm until service time at 2pm in the Shelton-Hunt Funeral Home Chapel.
Mr. Robert Edward Smith received his final salute on October 8, 2024, at the Tennessee State Veterans Home in Humboldt, TN, at the age of 81. Born on October 24, 1942, in Jackson, TN, he was the son of Paul E. and Violet H. Smith. He was an active member of his church, Sitka Church of Christ and his community. At the young age of 18, he joined the Tennessee Army National Guard. He retired in October of 2002 in the rank of Master Sergeant (MSG) after serving honorably for 42 years.
Throughout his Army career, MSG Smith performed many roles, but his primary specialty was M1 Armor Crewman. He later became a master instructor for the TN Army National Guard, where he expertly trained and prepared over 1,000 soldiers on M1 Tank operations. In his final duty, he was assigned to the Regional Training Institute in Smyrna, TN where he was the subject matter expert on armored Tactics, Techniques and Procedures. MSG Smith was a decorated patriotic Guardsman who embodied the Guard’s core values.
Robert was an avid athlete; he finished more than 25 marathons and was known as an elite runner. He shared this enjoyment with the love of his life Mrs. Reba Smith, who he married in 1994. They would continue their enjoyment of outdoor activities by volunteering in many noble causes that included mission work in New Mexico.
Robert was proceeded in death by his parents, Paul Edward and Violet Cordelia (Hopper) Smith.
Robert is survived by his wife Reba Smith, of Milan, TN; his daughters Suzanne Bobo of Lancaster, NY and Dina (Tony) Tomczak of Powder Springs, GA; son, Robert (Robby) E. Smith Jr. of Clearwater, FL; grandson Christopher Bobo of Clearwater, FL and great-grandsons, Eli Bobo of Holiday, FL and Phoenix Phillips of Milan, TN; sister, Paula (Jerry) Latham of Beech Bluff, TN; brothers, Larry and Henry Smith of Jackson, TN; nephew, Timothy Latham of Lexington, KY and stepdaughter, Leigh Ann (Stephen) Stringfellow of Milan, TN.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the TN State Veterans Home in Humboldt https://tsvh.org/donate/ or Gentiva Hospice https://www.gentivahs.com/about/donate/
