Hobert Smith

He was born March 27, 1932 in Anco, KY, a son of Samuel and Bertha (Robinson) Smith. He married Lorraine Spada of Cleveland, OH in 1970, and saw the birth of two daughters.

Surviving him are his wife, Lorraine Smith of Raleigh; two daughters, Tracie (Smith) DiGiacomo and her husband Thomas of Cary; Tara Smith of Raleigh; and grandchildren Meredith and Michael DiGiacomo. Mr. Smith was predeceased by brothers Hargis Smith and Herman Smith, and is survived by brothers Herbert Smith of San Diego, CA; Howard Smith of Salisbury, NC; and Homer Smith of Rome City, IN.

Hobert grew up in Kentucky coal country, in Knott County. Hobert followed his brother Herbert into the Hindman Settlement School in Hindman, KY, where his lifelong dedication to physical labor and intellectual debate was aptly nurtured. Hobert was graduated in 1950, and went almost directly into military service.

Although he spoke little of his experiences, Hobert Smith was a U.S. Navy Veteran of the Korean War where he saw hazardous duty on mine sweeper boats.

Mr. Smith was graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1958, and began his career at McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis, MO. Later he worked as a Construction Engineer and Manager for H. K. Ferguson Company and Bechtel Corporation for many years. Hobert was present when the first bottle of Liquid Crisco was produced in Columbus, OH. He managed projects in the Unites States and abroad, in such diverse locations as Indonesia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina, and Canada. Later he earned his real estate broker’s license and eventually started his own firm, Tri-City Realty, in Fremont, CA.

After his retirement in 1997, Mr. Smith and his wife moved to North Carolina, landing in China Grove and next in Carthage, where he enjoyed reconstructing and remodeling the couple’s residences until his recent illness slowed him. Most recently the couple moved to Raleigh to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren.

Visitation will be 10am to 11am on Saturday, December 27, 2014 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary. A funeral service and remembrance will commence at 11am. Burial will follow thereafter at the Raleigh Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Transitions LifeCare, formerly Hospice of Wake County at http://transitionslifecare.org.