Robert "Bob" Smith

Robert “Bob” Smith age 85 of Broken Bow died Wednesday December 28, 2016 at the Mother Hull Nursing Home in Kearney.   Funeral services will be held on Wednesday January 4, 2016 at 2:00 PM at the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow with Reverends Todd Karges and Glen Emert officiating.  Burial will be in the Broken Bow Cemetery with Military Honors. Visitation will be held on Tuesday January 3, 8 AM to 8 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary.    Robert Elwood Smith was born Nov. 12, 1931, at Elwood NE. His parents were Vance C. Smith and Mabel E. (Peterson) Smith. Bob started school in Elwood and finished grade school at Round Hill and New Hope rural schools south of Broken Bow on Sumner Rd., after his family moved back to Custer County. He graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1949 and served 2 years in the US Army at Ft. Leonard Wood MO. After his time in the service in 1953 he returned to Custer County to begin ranching with his father. Bob joined the Methodist Church at a young age and was very active in his church, serving as Head Usher at the time of his accident. On Dec. 27 of 1955 he married Margaret McIntosh at the Methodist Church in Broken Bow, NE. To this union four sons were born, Russell Vance, Robert Lynn, Ronald Paul and Randall John. Later on a daughter, Alice Hartman, was added through the Foster Care System. Bob was very active in community and state farm organizations. He served on the following Custer County Boards: Extension, Fire, Farm Services, spent over 40 years on the County Fair Board, and served several years as either Vice President or President. He also served on the local Round Hill school board. Bob organized several reunions of his Broken Bow graduation Class of 1949. Bob was very active in the Grange, serving several times as local president and held several different State Offices. He was elected President of the Nebraska State Grange in 1980 and served till 1988. This position took the couple to many different states for the National Grange Convention. His office let him serve on Governor Robert Kerrey’s Ag Committee along with the heads of other Ag organizations in the State. This office also allowed the couple to host a “Rural Route Tours” trip to Europe in 1982. Bob represented The Grange at the KRVN Rural Radio Board meetings for many years before being elected as a full member of the Board, retiring in 2003. Bob was preceded in death by one son, Robert Lynn, his parents and one sister, Norma Elaine Hinson and her husband, Jimmie Hinson and brother-in-law, Paul Dean Jr., father and mother-in-law, John and Ida McIntosh. Bob is survived by his wife, Margaret, 3 sons, Russell and his sons Connor and Aidan, of Auburn NE. R.P. and wife Beth Hough Smith and their children, Elissa,(Patrick Martin) and 2 children, Will and wife, Makayla, and 2 children, Wyatt, Zane, Hannah and Caleb. Rev. Randall J. and wife Christi and children Audrey, Ian, Emelia and Eliza of North Zulch TX. And Daughter Alice Drake and husband George, of Omaha, and their daughters Tiffany (Randy)Best and 3 children of Kansas City, and Kelly Drake, and 2 children of Bennington, NE. one sister Elinor Jean Dean of BB, one brother-in-law, John B. McIntosh and wife Carol of Broken Bow, and many nieces and nephews.