Robert William Smithee passed away on January 24, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. He was born on August 27, 1943 in Lubbock. After spending much of his early life in Ralls, Texas, he attended West Texas State University and studied biology and chemistry. After participating in the school's ROTC program, he was commissioned to the U.S. Army Medical Corps and
received his first assignment to the 5th Medical Battalion, 5th Mechanized Infantry Division, at Fort Carson, Colorado. In 1967, he was deployed to Vietnam with field medical unit to provide treatment to wounded and sick personnel in combat.

For his service, he earned many commendations including a Combat Medical Badge, a special ribbon for the Tet Offensive in 1968, and a United Nations Command ribbon for his assignment to the Office of the Surgeon, United Nations Command and U.S. Forces in Korea. With nearly two decades of active and reserve military service across Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and several locations in the US, he ultimately achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

While stationed in Pennsylvania, he met Patricia Vorhies, whom he would marry on Oct. 31, 1973 and share three daughters. Robert went on to find professional success in healthcare administration, teaching business courses at Texas Tech, owning his own consulting firm, and earning a doctor of jurisprudence (JD) from Texas Tech Law.

A lifelong lover of golf, Robert was also an avid reader, collector of antique paperweights, shaving brushes and razors, and a frequent author of humorous "letters to the editor" for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents Victoria and Robert Angus, and brother Ronald.

Robert is survived by sister Sandra Logmann and husband Matt and son Ron Larcher of Houston, Texas; daughters Sarita of Dallas, Erica Loewe and husband Wade of Carpentersville, Illinois, and Victoria Copp and husband Alex of Dallas; and grandchildren Owen and Juliet Copp.

Burial will be a private ceremony and under the direction of Adams Funeral Home of Ralls.