Graveside services for Robert Smith age 79 of rural Mobridge, will be 11:30 CT Saturday January 7, 2017 at Timber Lake Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home. Visitation will be Friday, January 6, 2017beginning at 3:00 PM with a prayer services at 5:00 PM at Kesling Funeral Home. Robert passed away Tuesday, December 27, 2016 at the Golden Living Center.

Bob enter Golden Living Center on Feb. 8, 2014 till his time of death, Bob passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at his side, with his granddaughter was holding his hand when he passed.
Bob was born to Robert Hall "Pete" and Bessie (Fast Horse) Smith, November 25, 1937 and joined three sisters in a small house that was built in La Plant, SD by his folks. They later moved the house to White Horse when Bob's grandfather Thomas Smith Passed away in 1936. The house sat just below the north hill in White Horse where the water reservoir is today, and Bob would always tell his sons "that's where I was born" pointing to the ground. Bob was first given the name Farrel Wayne by his mother, but when his dad came home off a job. His father changed Bob's name to Robert Dareld Jr. Bob then lived in Rapid City, Igloo and Pierre with his Family and ended up at a place called "Bridge Store Community" where his father started work at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Bob was driven to Forest City by car to attend his first year of school at age 8. In 1946, the family moved back to White Horse rural area on some land of his mother's to ranch and Bob entered second grade under Ms. Fern Nereim. Bob's third grade teacher was Idita M. Claymore; fourth and fifth grade under Principle Frye, then Bob Graduated eighth grade under Mr. Cecil Todd in spring of 1954. Fall of 1954, Bob entered High School in the Cheyenne Agency Indian Boarding School and was very proud that in his senior year, his two older sisters entered their senior year to graduate with Bob. Bob always bragged that his senior year was the best and easiest as his sisters did all his high school work giving him time to enjoy 12th grade and lord it over the rest of the seniors. Bob spent his summers working on the Oahe Dam at Pierre and building up the newly moved Agency in Eagle Butte. In May 1961, Bob was called to the selective service at Timber Lake, SD. July 1961 he was sent to Sioux Falls, SD and then to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for basic training. In August 1961, he was ordered to Ft. Riley, Kansas. Bob was First Infantry Division, and when he completed his switch board operators course in March of 1962, he was in Company B 5th Infantry. Bob spent some time in Germany and in May 1963 he came back to the states on orders of separation to serve in the Army reserves until he was honorably discharged in June of 1967. When Bob came home from the Army, he spent that year ranching with his father and received cattle of his own with the Tribal repayment program out of the Cheyenne Agency Eagle Butte.
In 1963, Bob met the love of his life, Vivian Le Compte, and they were married August 13, 1964. They first lived with Bob's folks until January of 1965 when Bob's father became Lay Pastor at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in White Horse so his folks moved up to the church, leaving Bob to run the ranch and care also for his father's livestock. Bob became a father to his first son, Farrel Wayne, June 23, 1965. Along with his ranching Bob also did part time work at the White Horse Trading Post/ Doolys Den for Tom and Donna Wackendorf. March 10, 1967 another son was born to Bob and Vivian, R. Darrel the 3rd. April 1, 1967, Bob rented the Trading Post/Doolys Den and moved his family of four to White Horse. He continued to ranch. December 15, 1971, Bob was blessed with another son, Tom Smith. Also in 1971, Bob purchased the business from the Wackendorfs and also got on the FHA program. In 1972, Bob ran for District 4 council representative and won a four-year term. About the same time, Bob was instrumental in starting the first Wild Cowboys Rodeo in White Horse on his land just south of his business. In 1973, Bob decided to build a house on his unit and this was finished in June of 1974 so Bob sold his business in White Horse and moved his family back out to the country, but as he had his house built on the District 6 location, he had to resign his position on the tribal council in which he had two years to leave unfilled. He then ran for the 4-year term in District 6 and was elected. In 1978 Bob applied for the White Horse Day School BIA Position of bus driver and janitor. Bob also repurchased the business in White Horse again and ran that for four months while still employed for the BIA. In 1980, Bob resigned the BIA job and again ran for District 6 Council representative for six years until 1986. Bob served on the White Horse/ Promise School Board and the Agency Board, 1980/82 and during this time he helped in the development of National Indian School Board Association. Bob then became semi-retired until 1993 when he started to work for the Law Enforcement as a detention officer. Bob did 6 weeks training in Artesia, NM and worked at the old jail. When they built the new Walter Miner Law Enforcement Center. Bob went over there to work as a Juvenile Detention Officer and worked his way up to the position of JDC director. Then he worked as a security officer at IHS and later at the Police Department as Bailiff. On January 14, 2011, Bob retired from the CRST Law Enforcement.
Bob's enjoyment in life along with spending time with Vivian and his sons and grandchildren was to follow the local pow- wows as a food vendor and later to help his son get ready to dance at powwows, setting up at the Black Hills Flea market as a vendor on weekends; rock hunting; going to auctions; from November to March you could find him making tobacco; gardening in the spring; third week in June you could find him out on the gravely hills digging turnips; drying meat and home grown corn in August; after a nice rain in September, out checking the box elder trees for mushrooms. Bob loved to wood carve and especially liked to work with diamond willow. He loved to watch the prairie hay lay down as it was mowed and swathed. Bob was noted for his hunting and trapping skill; he loved to hunt with his grey hounds and at one time had 22 hounds. He could spend the whole day and night and a whole weekend fishing, he wasn't too fond of the taste of fish. Because of his hat, small children would often ask if he was a "real cowboy." He'd tell them that he was a ranching Indian Cowboy. Bob was also some what the local veterinarian in the area. Bob didn't talk too much or have too much to say, he just mostly agreed with everyone. Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson's tremors in early 2011, making it hard to keep his balance and driving his vehicles around, came to a halt. As did many other things he enjoyed in life. He loved to have his grandchildren around and was very proud of having given three of his grand-daughters Lakota names, and many other children in the White Horse and Promise area.
Having lived around the Moreau (Owl) River most of his life, Bob was very proud to give his granddaughter the Lakota name of Hinhan Wakpa Win Wachinyanpi. He also named granddaughters Tomi Lynn and Bobbi Renea and Ethan and Jen Aberle and Skya and Jaden Ducheneaux, and Savanna and Solon Anderson.

Bob is survived by his wife Vivian, son, Tom, five grandchildren, Hunter, Virginia, Daryl, Tomi, Bobbi, sister, Carol Jean, Jerry Greenman.

He was preceded in death by; Sons Farrel and Darrel, Parents; Pete and Bessie Smith, 4 sisters, Delmarie (Duane) Claymore, Merledean (Harry) Laundreaux, June (Paul) Hayes, and Linda Smith, great granddaughter, Aubree Weleba.

Bob was awarded his own day on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation through a proclamation, signed by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman "Kevin C. Keckler on January 14th 2011. 'ROBERT D. SMITH DAY'