Bob Smith

Bob Smith of Beaverton, Oregon passed away on May 14, 2023 at Providence St Vincent Hospital surrounded by loved ones. Bob was born in 1947 in Waterloo, Iowa and moved to Los Angeles, California with his family in 1952. He graduated from Franklin High School and studied drafting at L.A. Trade Tech College before partnering in a home restoration business in Los Angeles. He loved working on older homes and restoring them to their original character. In the mid-1970’s he transitioned to roofing and started his own business where he treated every house as if he was “roofing his own mother’s house.”

Bob and his wife Ann both grew up in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, and they met as Ann would frequently drive by him working on cars on her way to her friend’s house. He always had a project going on the side of the street but would stop to wave at her as she drove by. They became friends, but love blossomed as she would sneak him extra chicken when he would come by and see her where she worked at KFC. They were married in 1980 and moved to Oregon in 1982. After they settled in Oregon, he continued his passion for roofing and re-established his business. He loved working on cars and would frequently purchase, detail, and re-sell classic cars. A relentless negotiator, the chase was often just as important as the purchase.

Once his three children were born, he proudly became a Stay-at-Home Dad until the opportunity to become a part-time photographer for Auto Trader magazine presented itself in the nineties. He worked his way up from a staff photographer to managing a fleet of photographers. He was always looking for cars to buy and sell, both for Auto Trader and his personal endeavors. He knew the roads of the Portland Metro area well and had a short cut or alternative route to get anywhere. He rarely took the freeways because “there weren’t cars for sale on the freeway.”

Bob was a lover of cars from the 1920’s through the 1970’s and unique collectables. He taught his kids their alphabet on the vintage license plates he hung around their house. He was always eager to tell you about his latest “find”, and was well known as the self-described, “good-looking fat guy with a beard”. As a near constant prankster, jokester and storyteller, he loved making people laugh and would go out of his way to bring a smile to the face of friends and family. On weekday mornings you could find him at the Elsie Stuhr Center working out and entertaining “The Seniors.”

Bob enjoyed road trips and camping with his family. In the late 1970’s, a few stays in the Jedidiah Smith Redwood State Park quickly became an annual tradition. The group of close friends and family who would make the trip grew each year, and the week would be filled with non-stop laughter and jokes. Many special, lifelong memories were made with the “Redwoods Family.” Despite moving over 900 miles away from their childhood homes in Southern California, family remained an important part of Bob and Ann’s lives and they frequently drove down to visit. In the mid-nineties, with three young kids and a dog, Bob and Ann made a cross-country trek along the Northern United States, visiting family in Minnesota, Iowa, and New York as well as checking out swap meets, and stopping by car shows along the way.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Ann, his three children, Mary (Isaac) Ciula, Burt Smith, and Julie (Nick) Sorber, as well as his three sisters, Nancy (Larry) Rench, Diane Haggerty, and Vickie (Mark) Otten, sister-in-law, Teddi Smith, brothers-in-law, Ron (Gail) Kelly and Brian (Brenda) Anderson, and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Jackie Smith and Jimmy Smith, his mother, Lois Moran, and his step-father, Jim Moran.

To honor Bob, the family would like to suggest taking a friend out to lunch and making them laugh. Bob frequently told his family and friends that when he passed, he hoped people would share stories of a time he made them smile. If you would like to share such a story, please add it to the online guest book.