Robert E. Smith's Obituary
Robert Edward “Bob” Smith, 92, of Syracuse, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at Francis House. He was born in Syracuse, NY to Thomas and Martha (Grant) Smith. Bob was a graduate of Most Holy Rosary School where he played baseball (pitcher), basketball and sang in the choir. He joined the Syracuse Fire Department in 1951, retiring as a lieutenant in 1978. While on the fire department, he served as President of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 280. Bob was elected President of the Syracuse Retired Firefighters Association in 1982, a position he held for 34 years. He also served as President of the United Police and Fire Retirees Association of NY, Secretary of the Alliance of Public Retirees Association of NY, and a member of the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans. He received the Hamilton White Brotherhood Award for service in 2000.
Bob served as a Master Sergeant in the National Guard for ten years. He was a lifelong Syracuse Basketball and New York Yankees fan, and an avid golfer (shooting a hole-in-one during a Syracuse Fire Department Golf League match). An accomplished gardener, Bob’s garden brought him great
joy.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Marian (Peck) Smith; and his five children, Susan (John) Duerr of North Syracuse; Kathyrn (Ken) Lance of North Syracuse, Paul (Jayne Regan) Smith of Raleigh, NC, Janis (Joe) DeVore of Haymarket, VA, and Michael (Erin) Smith of Saratoga Springs, NY; ten grandchildren, Adam (Tracy) Duerr, Megan (Dan) Stewart, Gretchen Duerr, Brett Lance, Rachel, Rebecca and Luke DeVore, Noah, Eli and Caleb Smith; great-grandchildren Katelyn, Abigail and Patrick Duerr, and Daniel, Devon and Leah Stewart.
A funeral mass in celebration of Robert’s life will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at St. John the Baptist Church, 406 Park Street, Syracuse, NY. Private entombment will take place at Woodlawn Cemetery Mausoleum. Bob’s funeral Mass will be available for viewing on his tribute page at tjpfuneralhome.com anytime after 1 p.m. Tuesday,
September 8, 2020.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bob’s memory can be made to Francis House, 108 Michaels Ave, Syracuse, NY 13208 or Clear Path for Veterans at 1223 Salt Spring Road, Chittenango, NY 13037.
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