Dr. Robert Smith

Dr. Robert D. Smith, 84, of St. Stephen’s Church, Virginia, passed away on Saturday, May 25, 2019. He was born to Margaret Louise Safely and Joseph Oliver Smith, Sr. on August 18, 1934. A US Army Veteran, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia, and his PhD in Constitutional Law and Public Administration from Vanderbilt. He served as a Professor for Political Science at both Western Michigan University and the University of Southern Mississippi. He served as the head of the Economic and Development Foundation in Mississippi at the Research and Development Center Jackson, MS. He was the Executive Director for the Jackson County Economic Foundation in Pascagoula, Mississippi. He was also the director and founder of the Small Business Development Center of Virginia.

Dr. Smith also had another passion in life, dogs. He was a Breeder of America Foxhounds and Welsh Terriers. He was also an Owner-Handler of numerous Best in Show American foxhounds. Dr. Smith belonged to many Kennel Clubs throughout his many years in dogs, The Columbia, SC Kennel Club; Nashville, TN KC; Kalamazoo, MI KC; Mississippi State KC; The Greater Hattiesburg, MS KC; Meri-Miss, MS KC; The Brandon, MS KC; The Mobile, AL KC; The Middle Peninsula, VA KC; The Virginia KC; The American Foxhound Club; Potomac Hound Club; The Virginia Terrier Club; The Welsh Terrier Club of America; The American Brussels Griffon Association. Dr. Smith was an American Kennel Club all breed judge, and also served as the vice-chairman on the AKC Board of Directors. Dr. Smith served as a judge all over the country and at some of the most prestigious shows to include Westminster Kennel Club, the International Kennel Club of Chicago, the Santa Barbara Kennel Club, and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. Dr. Smith’s judging took him many other places all over the world, including Canada, Australia, Sweden, Japan, China, South America, and Latin America.

He was also a member of the Upper King and Queen Ruritan Club.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Polly Dorsey Smith; his son, Stuart K. Smith (Janice); two grandchildren, Denise Smith and Kristen Pearson (Duke); and numerous nieces and nephews. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Joseph Smith, Milton Smith, George Smith, and Douglas Smith; and one sister, Theresa Robinson.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Timothy Catholic Church, Tappahannock, Virginia at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. A reception will follow immediately after the service in the parish hall. Faulkner Funeral Homes, Marks-Bristow Chapel, Tappahannock, is assisting the family with arrangements