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Robert S. Smith

Oct. 30, 1937-Oct. 19, 2017

Robert S. Smith, 79,

Bismarck, died on Oc-

tober 19, 2017 at a

Bismarck Hospital. Visita-

tion will be from 6:00 –

8:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oc-

tober 24, 2017 at the

Bismarck Funeral Home

with a memorial service at

7 p.m. There will also be a

memorial service at 11

a.m. Thursday, October

26, 2017 at Bethany Luth-

eran Church in Minot

N.D.

Robert “Bob” Smith was

born on October 30, 1937,

to Foster and Florence

(Smith) Smith in Duluth,

MN. Bob’s family moved

to Minot, ND in 1948

where he attended Model

School and Minot High

School. On July 6, 1957

Bob married his High

School sweetheart, Shir-

ley Ofsthun. The couple

remained in Minot where

they raised their daughter,

Pam.

Throughout his years in

Minot, Bob worked in the

construction trade.

Despite this hard work, he

found energy to pursue

his hobbies. He was active

in the Nodak Race Club as

a driver and pit man. He

was an avid snowmobiler

who was active in clubs

and races. In 1993, Bob

was able to turn his pas-

sion for snowmobiling

into a career by moving to

Bismarck to work as the

North Dakota Trail Coor-

dinator. He organized the

development and mainte-

nance of the State’s

snowmobile trails until

his retirement in 1999.

His dedication and

enthusiasm earned recog-

nition. He was presented

an award for outstanding

service award by the

International Association

of Snowmobile Adminis-

trators. In 2015 he was in-

ducted into the ND

Snowmobile Hall of Fame.

Bob never really retired as

he worked managing an

apartment complex and

working for VCZ Mobile

Park. Up until August he

was working at Kirkwood

Ace Hardware.

Bob enjoyed spending

time at the family cabin at

Rice Lake where all were

welcome and a goodtime

was had by all. Time with

Grandkids and

great-grand kids, who af-

fectionately called him

Grumpy, was always im-

portant to him.

He is survived by: his

wife of 60 years, Shirley,

daughter Pam (Tom) Leo-

nard; grandchildren Min-

dy Weisse (Justin Wright)

and Don Leonard;

great-grandchildren Pay-

ton, Kailyn, Jahnilyn, Eli-

jah, Adley and Aubryn all

of Minot.

He is preceded in death

by: his parents and his

niece, Kandace Miller.