Extracted from The Laurel Leader-Call (Laurel, MS)
Saturday, May 11, 1957

Leading Jasper Citizen Is Dead

MONTROSE, Miss. -- Robert Andrew (Bob) Smith, 76, Jasper County civic and political leader for the past half century, died at his Montrose home Friday at 7:30 p.m. from a heart attack.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. from Palestine Baptist Church with the Rev. Damon Vaughn, the Rev. Ollie Parker and the Rev. Mr. Moody officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery, with Memory Chapel in charge of arrangements, and friends of the family as honorary pallbearers.

The body was carried to the family residence Saturday afternoon to lie until the hour of the funeral.

Born in November, 1880, Mr. Smith had lived in Jasper County all his life. He was a member of the Palestine Baptist Church, served as church clerk for 56 years, was a charter member of the Louin Masonic Lodge, served two terms on the Board of Supervisors of Jasper County, was a member of the Jasper County Welfare Board, and was chairman of civil defense for the county during World War II.

Mr. Smith was a member and chairman of the Beautification Board of Jasper County, a trustee of Montrose and Penantly school districts, and a member of the Eastern Star. He was a cattleman and also dealt in real estate. He and Mrs. Smith celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on November 1, 1956.

Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mary Alice McCarty Smith, Montrose; six daughters, Mrs. Wesley W. Parker, Laurel, Mrs. B. R. Hankins, Montrose, Mrs. J. T. Thomas, Laurel, Mrs. Blant Harris, Melton, Fla.; Mrs. Charles Chester, Meridian, Mrs. Thomas F. Rylest [sic Rybert], Atlanta, Ga.; two sons, Abner G. Smith, Mobile, and Robert S. Smith, Pensacola, Fla.; 17 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Two brothers, Menis P. Smith, Montrose, and Oden Edward Smith, Patterson, La.; Three sisters, Mrs. Laura McCarty, Laurel, Frasier Reid, Laurel, Mrs. Voley Ruffin, Oak Grove, La.