Robert Lavern Smith

Robert Lavern Smith age 94 of Paola passed away on August 29, 2024 at Delmar Gardens of Overland Park.

Bob was born August 15, 1930 in Kansas City, Kanas to Henry Logan and Iva Ray Smith.

He was raised in Kansas City, Kansas and attended Kansas City Public Schools. He married Dorothy Pennington in 1949 and they had a son Steven Lavern. The marriage ended in divorce.

In 1961 he married Louise Leonard and they had two sons, Kevin Wayne and Charles Lynn. They made their home in Kearney, Missouri until 1966 when they moved to a farm west of Paola where they spent most of their married life and raised their sons and later helped raise their granddaughter.

Bob raced motorcycles from 1949 to 1955 earning a pro ranking. He worked in the printing industry and was a member of the Graphic Arts Union. He later had his own excavating business, building ponds, doing farm work and working in the oil fields. He enjoyed spending time with family, tinkering around the farm, riding his 4-wheeler, hunting morel mushrooms and watching the Kansas City Royals.

He was proceeded in death by his wife Louise in 2023, his parents, a brother James Henry, grandson James Lee and daughter in law Sherry Berglund Smith.

He is survived by his sons Steven (Kathy) of Basehor, Kevin (Melanie) of Paola and Charles (Ria) of Lead, South Dakota, brother Kenny (Margaret) of Tonganoxie, sister Janice Ficke (Stephen) of Topeka, sister in law Sue Smith of Wichita, granddaughter Mallory Crowl (Casey) of Olathe, grandsons Timothy (Amy) of Berthoud, Colorado, Eric of Olathe, Austin (Maikla) of Olathe and Dennis of Liberty, Missouri, 4 great grandchildren Cali, Tyler, Silas, and Asa and many nieces and nephews.. Cremation , no services are planned.