Bobbie R. Smith, USAF (Retired)

1936 – March 27, 2022

Bob was born in Bernice, LA, in a log cabin with a dirt floor. When he was eight, his parents bought their first car and Bob, being the oldest child, started driving his family to church. At age 12, electricity was finally brought in, but they still had no indoor plumbing. In 1949 the family moved to California and Bob, at age 13, helped drive. He loved to drive.

In 1954 he joined the Air Force. Throughout his Air Force career, Bob, as a mechanic, worked on a huge variety of aircraft. At Castle AFB, CA, he ushered in the brand-new B-52 bomber. At Cigli AFB, Turkey, he worked on H-43, Search and Rescue helicopters, and from there he was stationed at Edwards AFB, CA where he worked on “undisclosed” aircraft. In 1967 he was sent to Thuy Hoa, Viet Nam where he worked on F-100 fighter jets. Returning home, he was stationed at Travis AFB, CA where he worked on C-141s and C-5s for the last 12 years of his career.

Throughout his life he never lost his love of driving, whether car, boat, motorhome or motorcycle – as long as he was in the driver’s seat he wanted to go. In his life, Bob drove throughout western Turkey, northwest Australia and more than 40 states, visiting relatives, National Parks, and anything else he wanted to see. One of the highlights of his life was driving the Alaskan highway to Anchorage, three times!

Bob passed away at home, Sunday, 27th of March, with Cheryl, his loving wife of 65 years beside him. He is survived by his brother, Bill (Roberta) Smith of Merced, CA; his wife, Cheryl; his two daughters, Cindy (Daniel) Nash of Vacaville, and Terrie (Garry) Davidson of Cheyenne, WY; grandson, Daniel, (Lisa) Nash of Vacaville; and granddaughter, Corrine (Miles) Quisenberry of Cheyenne, WY; six great-grandchildren, Jessie, Jacob, Annabelle, Benjamin, Zachary, and Cash; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Isaac and Hazel Smith, and his sister, Betty Flynn.

Memorial Service Saturday, April 23, at 1 p.m. at New Hope Christian Fellowship, 4910 Allison Parkway, Vacaville, CA. Published by The Reporter on Apr. 17, 2022.