Mr Bob Smathers

On February 19, 1914, Robert Raymond “Bob” Smathers was born at home in Bath County, Kentucky. In the early morning hours of Saturday, June 28, 2014, he died peacefully at home in the Dry Grove community surrounded by his family. Visitation will be 5-8pm Monday, June 30, and on Tuesday from 1-2pm until the 2pm service time, all at Chancellor Funeral Home in Byram. Interment will be at Cedarcrest Cemetery. From an early age he showed great interest in all things electrical and mechanical. He went into the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s, where he learned surveying; Bob then went to work for the U. S. Forest Service. He joined the Navy and served as a radio man in Navy aircraft doing submarine patrol in the Gulf of Mexico. He was discharged shortly before World War II. When he found that he could not re-enlist because of his eyesight, he went to work as a civilian instructor for the military. Bob went to work for Lamar Life Broadcasting as an engineer at their AM radio station, WJDX and went on to become the first Chief Engineer at WLBT in 1954. In 1960 he joined Westinghouse Corporation in research and development. His projects with Westinghouse ranged from aeronautic landing systems at airports all over the United States, the first Telstar communication satellite, communications for underground rescue of mine workers, and a number of other projects undertaken for the United States government, which took him and his family all over the world. He retired from Westinghouse in 1978 at age 63. Being from a large, close-knit family, he enjoyed family activities, especially camping. He was also a HAM radio operator for most of his life. Robert was a lifelong Presbyterian, and was a founding member of Pearl Presbyterian Church in Pearl, MS, where he served as Clerk of the Session. He also served at Wynndale Presbyterian Church in various capacities, and was Elder Emeritus at the time of his death. Robert is preceded in death by his first wife, Alys Harper, and wife Mary Sue Hogue Smathers, and his siblings Roy, Dorothy Hand, and Stanley. He is survived by his sister Mary Gossett Sullivan, Guerrant, and Lucy Olson. Bob also is survived by three of his daughters, Dee Smith-Smathers, Kathy Smathers, and Susie Krichbaum, and is preceded in death by his daughter Vicky Dowdy. He will be missed by a wealth of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, as well as by a host of wonderful friends.