Bobby Joe Smith

Bobby Joe Smith, 86, of Medford passed away peacefully on April 20, 2023 in Wakita. 

Bob was born December 12, 1936 to Wilbert and Lella Smith at their home in Lexington. He attended and graduated from Noble High School in 1955, where he was very active in 4-H and was invited to attend the National 4-H Congress in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Oklahoma A&M in Stillwater the fall of 1955 and graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1959. If you noticed, the university changed names while he was there, and this was always a big deal to Bob. He met his future wife, Milly, in 4-H while attending high school, and they married on June 13, 1958 in Maguire at the Baptist Church. They celebrated by Bob pushing Milly in a wheelbarrow down Main Street in Norman. Bob started his agricultural career in Anadarko in 1959, moved on to Carnegie, and then to Medford in 1974, where he retired from the federal government in 1990. In addition to his government career, he surrendered to the ministry in 1970 and began his ministry as a bi-vocational pastor, serving churches in Eakley, South Haven, Kansas, Wakita, and Lamont. After his government retirement he served full time at Nash, Medford, and Wakita. He was affectionally known as Bro Bob all over Grant County and beyond, he even had it on his license plate.

He exemplified Christ in all aspects of his life, most notably the way he loved others.

He is survived by Milly, his wife of 64 ½ years; his two boys and his two girls, Vicki Nachtigall (Paul) of Pampa, Texas, Alan Smith of Coweta, Mark Smith of Ruston, Louisiana, and Gina Lambillotte (Daniel) of Jenks; grandchildren, Candice, Chandra, Charity, Chasity, Joshua, and Hannah; fifteen great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; one sister, Carol Ann Roberts and husband, Mike of Maguire, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Wilbert and Lella Smith; one brother, Jimmy Ray, and one grandchild, Alexa.

Visitation for Bob will be at Lanman Funeral Home, Inc.  in Medford on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. with family present 6:00 to 7:30.

Funeral service for Bob will be held at the Medford Civic Center on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.  Burial will follow at Rosemound Cemetery with arrangements by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Medford.  www.lanmanmemorials.com  Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home Inc.

Memorials may be sent in Bob’s memory to the Oklahoma Baptist Home for Children, 16301 S Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73170.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bobby Joe Smith, please visit our floral store.