Robert W. Smith, Jr.
November 15, 1934 – April 26, 2016
Robert William Smith, Jr., age 81, died April 26, 2016 at Life Care Center in Colorado Springs, CO. His wife of 55 years, Marjorie Lee (Hockett) Smith was at his side.
Robert was born November 15, 1934 in Denver, CO to Robert William Smith, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth (Graebing) Smith. He attended school in Denver until the family relocated to Salida, CO where his father had purchased a local pharmacy. Robert graduated from Salida High School in 1953, then attended the University of Denver, after which he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
Following his military service, he returned to Salida where he married long-time family friend Marjorie Lee Hockett in 1961. Their daughter Janelle was born the following year in 1962.
During this time he attended the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy in Boulder and graduated in early 1963. He was employed as a pharmacist in Denver, but he and his family decided to relocate to the smaller community of Colorado Springs, CO. He worked for a time in retail pharmacy but discovered that he preferred clinical pharmacy work. He was fortunate to be hired by the original St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs, working in the type of position he had been searching for as a hospital pharmacist. He spent the remainder of his professional career there, retiring in 1999.
After retiring, Robert was able to pursue his many talents and interests. He had long been a musician, playing blue grass and folk music on the guitar, frailing banjo and blue grass banjo. He was also a skilled woodworker, cabinet maker, clock builder and ceramic pottery artist.
He is survived by his wife Marjorie, daughter Janelle Lee (Smith) Smith, grandson Travis J. Smith, son-in-law Craig J. Smith, brother-in-law Lonnie R. Hockett and family, nieces, nephews and many friends. Robert was pre-deceased by his parents and only sibling, Clayton Edward Smith.
There will be a Celebration of Life Service in the chapel at Shrine of Remembrance, 1730 E. Fountain Blvd. Colorado Springs, at 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 21, 2016.
Cremation has taken place.
Charitable donations may be made to the donor’s favorite charity.