Bobby Edward Smith

Bobby Edward Smith, age 59, born June 20, 1955 in Hanford, California, left this life on May 11, 2015. He passed away in Birmingham, Ala. while working on a construction job for S&J Construction Company in Jacksonville, Ark. Bobby was a Christian of the Non-Denominational Faith. He enjoyed fishing, art sketching, reading, growing citrus trees, watching action movies and riding his motorcycle. At a very young age, Bobby served in the Army, the 101 Airborne Division of the Green Berets during the Vietnam Campaign. Throughout his life he continued his education and received many credentials. He worked as a driller in the oil fields of Texas and New Mexico. He was a licensed Merchant Marine with a Hazmat degree and worked on river barges on the Mississippi River and oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. He got his CDL and drove eighteen wheelers across the United States and back. He received an engineering degree in New Orleans and worked as an oiler in the engine room of a ship when it capsized during a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico in 1998. It was a miracle he escaped, which was upside down, as several oil drums rolled on top of him, smashing his left elbow. All of his crew members and Captain had given up on him when he appeared on the side of the ship, still high up in the air. He jumped into the rain and high waves and was pulled onto a life raft by his Captain. The tow ropes of the raft were tangled in the anchor chains of the fast sinking ship and the raft being pulled down with it. Bob was the only one with a knife and he cut the ropes loose, saving himself, his Captain and eight crew members. Preceding him in death were his mother, Darleen Gunter of Jacksonville, Ark. and his father, George Edward (Jack) Smith of Artesia, N.M. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Renaee Smith; sister, Kim Heath of Cornell, Ill.; brother, Shane Smith of Artesia, N.M.; son, Justin Smith of Lonoke, Ark. and daughter, Raven Smith of Pine Bluff, AR; four stepchildren, Ginny Campbell of Monroe, La., Heather Teague Wells of Fountain Hill, Ark., Joe Teague of Cabot, Ark. and Byron Burchell of West Monroe, La.; five grandchildren, Suede, Tristin, Juliana, and Haynes Smith and Kingston Luckett; stepfather, whom he was very close to, H.A. (Red) Gunter of Jacksonville, Ark. and stepmother, Fran Bratcher of Artesia, N.M. Bob will be greatly and sadly missed by all the members of his family, as well as his many friends and other loved ones. Memorial services are 11 a.m. Friday, June 12 at Griffin Funeral Chapel in Star City. Arrangements by Roselawn Funeral Service & Crematory in Pine Bluff. Online guestbook at www.griffinfuneralservice.net.