LACONIA ---- Robert ‘Bob’ T. Smith, 93, a resident of the Taylor Community, passed away on Saturday, February 17, 2024.
Bob was born in Kansas City, MO, on October 25, 1930.
He attended public schools in Kansas City and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas, where he was a member of the Sigma Tau Honor Society, the Kappa Eta Kappa Technical Society, and the Eta Kappa NU Social Society. He was a professional engineer registered to practice in California and New Hampshire.
On graduating from University of Kansas, Bob applied for commission in the U.S. Navy. The application was denied based on poor eyesight. But the Navy offered Bob a position as civilian scientist at the Naval Ordinance Test Station, China Lake, California; now known as the Naval Weapons Development Center. Bob was involved with several development projects. One of the most notable was the development of the AN/ASB–7 Bomb Director – a digital computer-based replacement for the famous mechanical Norden Bomb Sight used during World War II. After six years of service to the Navy, Bob moved to private industry.
On leaving the Navy, Bob went to work at the Philco Western Development Laboratories in Palo Alto, CA. There he became the Director of the Systems Laboratory. The primary activity of the laboratory was development and placement of ground stations for the government’s advanced satellite surveillance system. Ground stations for satellite tracking, command and data readout were implemented at Vandenburg Air Force Base, CA; New Boston, NH; and Fairbanks, AK.
Bob was subsequently hired by Page Communications to develop and construct commercial satellite ground stations. With the formation of the Intelsat Corporation, Page recognized the potential of satellite communication and wanted to be in on the beginning of this service. The Intelsat II satellite was put into orbit to primarily support the Apollo 11 Moon landing and secondarily to offer international commercial telephone and television services. Page won the NASA contract to provide the first family of ground stations for Intelsat II. In nine months, Bob as the Program manager/Project Engineer, built, installed, and operated four ground stations located at Carnarvon, Australia; Pamalu, HI; Brewster, WA; and Andover, ME. Other ground stations, solely for commercial service, were installed in the Philippines, Thailand, and Panama.
Sanders Associates of Nashua, NH, approached Bob to become Technical Director of their International Systems Division. He accepted the challenge and rose to become the Division General Manager and a Sanders Corporate Vice President. Division activities included international communication systems, airport electronic and lighting upgrades, high frequency transmitter sites for early ICBM launch detection and a major study and design for a highway patrol system for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Bob retired in 1990 and moved to Laconia, NH, where he and his wife, Angelina, designed and built a custom home in the South Down Shores Recreation Association (SDRA) community on Paugus Bay. During retirement, Bob served as a volunteer for several organizations. He was president of SDRA, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Taylor Community, a member of the design team for the new Laconia Police Station, and a member of the design team and building committee for the Laconia Library addition. For the City of Laconia, he served as chairman of the Planning Board, member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, member of the Zoning Rewrite Committee, and chairman of the Capital Improvement Committee. Bob and his wife were active supporters of the NH Music Festival and the Tamworth Barnstormers Theater.
Throughout his career, Bob was active in his local churches. As a Presbyterian, he served as a Sunday School teacher and then superintendent, an Elder, a Presbytery Moderator, a Synod Treasurer, and a delegate to General Assembly. For the Presbytery of Northern New England, he served as chairman of the New Church Development and Redevelopment Committee and was responsible for the development of three new churches. He served as Trustee of the Laconia Congregational Church and as a member of the Finance Committee of the Gilford Community Church.
Bob was a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and its honor society, Eta Kappa Nu. He was also a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Academy of Model Aeronautics. He was a former member of the IACP and the Association of Old Crows.
Bob is survived by his wife Diane (Houle) Smith; his daughter Liane Measell of Asheville, NC, her husband John and their two children Kayla and Tyler; his son Robert Michael Smith of Ukiah, CA; and stepdaughters Sharon Pond of Laconia, NH, her husband, Michael; and Karen Missert of Laconia, NH. He was predeceased by his parents, Theodore and Lucille Smith of Kansas City, MO; his brother, James Smith of Lee’s Summit, MO; his first wife, Carol Ann Smith, and his second wife, Angelina M. Smith.
There will be no calling hours.
A private burial will be held at the Bedford Center Cemetery family plot in Bedford, NH.
Donations in memory of Bob may be made to the Taylor Community Sunshine Fund, 435 Union Ave, Laconia, NH 03246 or the Gilford Community Church Diaconate Fund, 19 Potter Hill Road, Gilford, NH 03249.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.