Tributes

Robert Bricen Smith, 90, of Hindsville; died April 7, 2019. He was born September 17, 1928, at Bloomington, IL; to Leslie and Bertha Hale Smith. His preteen years were spent in the heart of Illinois - Bloomington, Downs, Leroy, and Peoria. In 1938, he moved with his grandparents to Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended Louisville Male High School. He moved to graduate high school in Milltown, Indiana. Bob enlisted in the US Marines in 1946, was discharged in 1948, then re-enlisted in the US Air force where he served until his honorable discharge in 1950. He was employed by Commonwealth Loan Company in Peoria, Illinois; as a collector until the firm was sold to Pacific Finance out of California. They promoted him to "Training Representative" and he traveled for them, opening new offices in five Midwestern states. Bob was promoted to Branch Manager in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1953. In 1955, he became Vice-President with Union Finance Company in Mission, Kansas. In 1961, he opened R. B. Smith Finance and Investment Company; which he sold to ISC industries in 1974, when he entered the banking business as Senior Vice-President of First National Bank in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. While living in Kansas, Bob served as city councilman and President of the Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Kansas City Lenders Association, the Kansas Association of Finance Companies, and the Optimist Club where he was named "Man of the Year." Bob was a member of the Kansas City 101 Club and the greater Kansas City Sports Commission. He was a red coat for the Kansas City Chiefs, and an avid Kansas City Royals fan. He served as Kansas City Royals Lancer from 1972-2010; and was recipient of the "Mister Baseball" award from Royals organization. Bob was also a 39-year active member of Masonic Lodge #153 in Prairie Village, Kansas; and received his 50-year Masonic pin in 2017 from Masonic Lodge #364 in Huntsville. Bob left the banking business to open his own insurance agency in Laurie, Missouri. Living on The Lake of the Ozarks, he enjoyed boating, swimming, teaching his daughters (Leslie and Debbie) to ski, and entertaining family and friends. He met and married his wife, Sharon Merrell Miller, in 1993. In 1995, they moved to California, Missouri; living on Lake Imhoff - still enjoying the water, boating, watching his grandchildren fish and swim, teaching grandsons to ski, and visiting with neighbors and friends. He especially loved those catfish dinners with the neighbors. Bob was a member of the First Christian Church, where he served on the board of trustees; and was a member of the Kiwanis Club. Bob retired with Sharon, in 2010, moving to Northwest Arkansas to be closer to family. They became members of the First Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, where Bob served as an elder and was instrumental in building the new Fellowship Hall. Bob will be remembered for his love of the water - living on the Lake of the Ozarks and Lake Imhoff for many years; loving a great meal, and his great sense of humor. He enjoyed listening (and singing along) to Dean Martin and George Burns songs while driving his river queen houseboat "The Fancy Lady". Bob loved to travel until his health failed. He always had a positive attitude and loved to laugh with his beloved Golden Retrievers - Bubba, Rudy, Mort, and Chaz. Bob was predeceased his parents, his grandparents, his brothers-in-law, Dorsie Merrell, Jr.; Richard Merrell, and Roy Willows; and his nephew, David Merrell. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Smith of the home; his daughters, Deborah Hatfield and husband, Curtis, of Shawnee, Kansas; and Leslie Smith and wife, Heather, of Little Elm, Texas; his step-daughter, Nichelle (Nicky) Anderson, and husband, Eric, of Hindsville; grandchildren and grandchildren-in-law, Jill and Norman Gordon of Overland Park, Kansas; Amy and Logan Lindahl of Manhattan, Kansas; Bobby Smith of Little Elm, Texas; Will and Andi Anderson, Collin Anderson, and Holly Anderson, all of Hindsville; honorary grandchild, Jaden Kinney; one great grandchild, Dean Gordon of Overland Park, Kansas; two brothers-in-law, Jay Willows of Paoli, Kansas, and James Williams of LaBelle, Missouri. A celebration of life will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 13, 2019 at First Presbyterian Church of Huntsville with Georgia Senor and Michel Fransen officiating, and lunch to follow in the Fellowship Hall. Honorary pallbearers will be Butch Anderson, Eric Anderson, Lee Holt, Jason Holt, Curtis Hatfield, Dale Ratcliff, and Joe Presley. Inurnment will be held, at a later date, in the Fayetteville National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bob's name to First Presbyterian Church of Huntsville, PO Box 603, Huntsville, AR 72740. Services are entrusted to Brashears Funeral Home and Crematory of Huntsville

Tributes

Robert Bricen Smith

September 17, 1928 - April 7, 2019