Robert Smith

Robert “Bob” Edward Smith was born 2/25/1927 in Hutchinson, KS and died peacefully in Wichita, KS on 4/11/2022. Bob attended schools in Hutchinson and then served his country as Sgt First Class Army 8th Air Force in the Pacific Theater. He earned a degree in aeronautical engineering from Spartan School of Aeronautics and had a successful career in engineering at Boeing, Martin-Marietta, Learjet, Cessna, and Bombardier. Bob was senior engineer of the Titan II missile at Martin-Marietta, assistant project engineer of Learjet Model 23, chief of airframe design at Learjet, and his Cessna projects included the L-19, 310, 180, T-37, and CH 1 helicopter. He was most proud to have served as the senior project engineer of the Cessna Citation. Bob loved to create, design, build and enjoyed all things mechanical. He was a Scout Master, a Mason, an outdoorsman and an avid reader of Westerns. He was a lifetime gun enthusiast and was a member of the Air Capital Gun Club, the Chisholm Trail Antique Gun Association, and a lifetime member of the NRA. He was preceded in death by his parents William “Bill” and Helen America, wife Barbara (Fox), sister Sheila (Bill) Doxon, sister Georganna Cook, and sister-in-law Betty (Wayne) Nold. He is survived by his son Matthew (Kara) of Wichita, daughter Brett (Rick) of Topeka, grand-daughters Quinn (Jeromy), Jenna (Kelly), and Elise, four great-grandchildren, and two sisters-in-law Olive Cocking and Carol Fox. He will re-join with his wife Barbara at Resthaven Cemetery.