Taking his last bow, Robert (Bob) Smith exited stage left on December 30, 2020. One of his great joys was performing in Reno’s Ageless Repertory Theatre, (A.R.T.) for 13 years. His last performance was co-staring in the “The Sunshine Boys” the last week of January, 2020, before Covid arrived and shut everything down. Bob studied 2 years at Carlton College where his claim to fame was being a cast member of the world premier of "The Caucasian Chalk Circle". Moving west, Bob graduated with a degree in Speech from the University of Washington, Seattle, where he met his wife, Terry Wellington. They were married on September 17, 1950. Both avid theatre fans, a belated honeymoon in New York allowed them to see 8 plays in 5 days. While there, Bob's draft notice arrived and, returning to Seattle, he was inducted into the Army at Fort Lewis and served 2 years. He was discharged in San Luis Obispo, California, where he became a radio announcer at KVEC, also hosting a late night jazz show with "After Hours", by Erskine Hawkins as its theme music (it's the background music you hear) Bob helped put the TV station on the air and became it’s first newscaster. After a short stint at UC Berkley he began a life time vocation filling many sales positions with various companies and many moves to different cities and states. Their daughter, Kieron, was born in 1958 in Kansas City, Missouri even though they lived in Kansas City, Kansas. Bob retired as a stockbroker from Jefferies & Co. in Los Angeles, CA. and, with his wife Terry, arrived in Reno in 1980 having purchased a home in Riverbend. Wine buffs that they had become, they quickly expanded the house with a game room over a small basement and wine cellar. A boat on Lake Powell consumed their months in spring and fall for many years. From 1987 to 1993 they leased the house and went on the road full time in a motor home visiting almost all 50 states including Alaska. Bob found his special place volunteering as the Reno Art Museum librarian for 15 years, originally setting up and cataloging the expanding collection. There was always an annual trip to Ashland Ore. and Bob loved to boast that he had seen every one of Shakespeare's plays, many, more than once. Every fall and winter found them at the Reno Philharmonic and the Reno Chamber Orchestra and Bob never missed the Festival of Chamber Music each year from Christmas to New Year’s Eve. They also loved traditional jazz festivals and took many cruises with favorite bands. He and Terry were original members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, (OLLI), University of Nevada's expanded learning program for Seniors. Bob most loved the Poetry and Memoir classes but enjoyed many classes and lectures over the past 14 years. Through OLLI, he became a simulated patient for UNR Medical School students for many years and Bob was pleased that he was able to donate his body to the UNR School of Medicine.. He read some of his life stories while daughter, Kieron, recorded him before he and we said our last goodbyes. Surviving Bob are his wife, Terry Wellington Smith, his daughter, Kieron Smith Chambers (Greg), and his three grandsons, Kyle L. Jay (Molly), Preston Alan Tuschall and Jake Mason Chambers. Bob was a gentleman and his kindness and soft humor will be missed not only by his family but, by the many who knew him.
