Bob Smock Funeral

Good morning. On behalf of all the family, thank you for being here today to celebrate the beautiful life and legacy of Bob Smock. A man who lived life to the fullest to the every end, even in the midst of hardship. A kind man who leaves us with a lasting legacy of love and perseverance. Today as we remember and we grieve, but we do not grieve without hope we think of this picture of heaven that is painted in revelation....

Rev

The New International Version Chapter 21

Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ u or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

Pray

Robert “Bob” Benjamin Smock, of Russiaville, passed away at on Sunday September 8, 2024, he was 76 years old.

Bob was born in Frankfort, IN, on September 10, 1947, the son of the late Robert L. Smock and Geraldine (Watkins) Lemen.

Bob would stay close with his parents his whole life as well as his little sister Diane.

From bobs sister (Diane)

He was watching me for a short time. Mom told him not to take me out on his bicycle. I think I was maybe 5 making him 15.

Well he took me out and there were other bikes on the sidewalk. He told me to hold my feet in but not too much. Well my left foot got hung up on the spokes and tore my skin off pretty good. I spent the next couple of weeks sitting on a lawn chair in our front yard until it heeled. It still hurts if I hit it. It healed with dirt inside so I have always thought of him when that happens. With me for life❤️

When I was a teenager I had done something wrong, as usual. My Dad was chasing me around the table to in the kitchen, I headed out the door and Bob tackled him so I could get away. Bob was much smaller than him but he was taking care of his little sister.

Bob was a 1966 graduate of Frankfort High School. He proudly served our country in the United States Army from 1966 through 1968 and earned the rank of Sergeant. He was recognized with a National Defense Service medal, two Over Seas Service Bars, and several other badges and honors.

After the military Bob spent 35 years working for Chrysler in quality inspection.

On February 14, 1997, Bob married the love of his life, Vicki Bertram. They shared 27 wonderful years together.

Vicki and Bob met at work and she says he made the first move. She was drawn to his personality and especially loved his wonderful sense of humor. And when it came time, it didn’t stink that they lived in the same neighborhood, so it was short move.

One of the other things she really loved about him is how great of a dad he was to his son Kris but also the way he was willing and excited be Lindsay and Kristins Dad. He especially would never say or consider the girls his step daughters, just his daughters.

For Bob one of the joys of his life was being Dad to Kris, Lindsay, and Kristin. He was so proud of all of them. But he was tough on them at times and had his ideas of how things should go. There was never a door left open he didn’t sense needing closed. He was always in charge of the tv remote is he was home. During the summers when he work a night shift, the kids had to be outside most the time unless they needed to use the bathroom so her could sleep.

He loved labeling things like water bottles, if you stopped by you might have a labeled bottle for weeks to come if you stopped by. I was also told he was pretty into recycling, taking it very seriously in the way he separated things like some people separate their laundry.

Bob was really smart but that didn’t always translate to school, I am told there was a time his girls found his old report cards….there was much laughter but also the report cards were trashed.

One of Bob’s great joys and passions was Tennis. He loved watching it playing it and talk it. It would eventually lead to playing pickleball too. But the guy would often play 4 times a week and he was competitive. I am told growing up vacations would be planned around the availability of a tennis court.

He also made great friends playing…here is what some of his friends said about him….

I called Bob Baba Looey after the cartoon sidekick of Quick Draw Mcgraw. He was always a great partner and everyone especially liked being his partner. Baba Looey was always my favorite partner! Also Bob always enjoyed going out to eat after we played tennis and would organize where we would eat. We had many great conversations and got to know each other quite well.. he will be missed sorely missed!

Well we use to call Bob The Bobster because he was so good at the backspin lob over players heads for a point. But what we used to laugh about the most is Bob’s set of rules for playing tennis outside. He wouldn’t play if it was…..too hot, too cold, too windy, too far to drive and he would only play in multiples of four, eight 12 or 16. We called them the Smock Rules. And he always had to leave at 11:30.

I am also told boy was a pretty great ping pong player…with yet another nickname….he was reffered to as “The king of ping” because of the "Elvis" picture by the ping pong table.

But arguable Bob’s greatest joy of his life was being a PawPaw to Ethan, Preston, and Quinn.and one more baby who is on the way… He would do anything for those kids. He never changed a diaper for his kids but he did for his grandkids. He was always spoiling and sticking up for them.

I had this story from Ethan…

I remember one day when I was staying the nights at papaws house him and I were going out to the pole barn to grab something. On the way out there he kept telling me that he had moles, and I asked him how he knew. He told me how they puff up the ground and we need to step on them. So on the way back from the pole barn we were stepping on the tunnels and we see the ground moving up and down and it was a mole digging holes. I was so excited because I’d never seen that before. Then he told me to stay outside and watch the mole, while he sent inside. After he came back outside he had a gun and said he was going to shoot it. As soon as he came back outside he hit it in the tail but it didn’t die, so he had to shoot it another time , and that time it died. After that we dug it up, and he let me pet it . It was very soft.

I now want to invite up someone who was in the top two of Bob’s favorite son-in-laws…no I am not I am not referring to Ryan who I am told Bob would frequently call Bryan..no I want to invite up Joey who I am told when Joey was in high school dating Lindsay was around enough that Bob was frequently as Joey if he had a home and if he could claim him on his taxes.

SONG

You see while Bob fight with cancer did not end as we would have wanted, he lived out these words of ‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭4:7-8‬

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Part of today is allowing ourselves to be honest with God about grief, frustrations, and even anger. the really great news is that He is not afraid of the feelings we have. In fact in the midst of our pain He gives us the gift of His presence and understanding.

PSalm

The New International Version Psalm 34

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Matthew

The New International Version Chapter 5

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41:10‬ ‭

I believe that with my whole heart. That will grief will be a journey. One we wouldn't choose and will not like, we can take comfort in the fact that you don’t face it alone. We have a Refuge in God, ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:1-3, 10‬ ‭

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

Philippians

The New International Version Chapter 4

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The New International Version Chapter 14

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

I believe that is one of the greatest desires God has for you today, that you would find peace. That you would find peace in this world and that you would be with Him in the next.

But today we do not want to grieve without hope. Paul said these

Romans

The New International Version Chapter 8

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God’s love will always be chasing us and there for us. Every single one of us.

John

The New International Version Chapter 14

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

John‬ ‭14:1-3‬ ‭,6

Again this is for all people. This is a generous love. And its a love that casts out all fear.

John 3:16-17

The New International Version Chapter 3

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Again Jesus came into this world to save you and me, So we could have a better present and an ultimate future with Him, like Bob.

God desires that all his children would come home....that they would trust in him

John

The New International Version Chapter 11

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

No matter who you are and where you come from you are invited to experience this new life in Jesus.

“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭16:22‬ ‭

Today I take comfort and have joy thinking about how Bob is in heaven…he has been made new…free of pain, suffering, and worry. The invitation is for all of us to surrender to Jesus so that we too may one day experience joy everlasting with Jesus for eternity.

Friends, Bob is whole once more. And he is at rest with Jesus.

Pray

Listen to this song

Grave side

The Book of Common Prayer, 1979 The Burial of the Dead: Rite Two

I am Resurrection and I am Life, says the Lord.

Whoever has faith in me shall have life,

even though he die.

And everyone who has life,

and has committed himself to me in faith,

shall not die for ever.

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives

and that at the last he will stand upon the earth.

After my awaking, he will raise me up;

and in my body I shall see God.

I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him

who is my friend and not a stranger.

For none of us has life in himself,

and none becomes his own master when he dies.

For if we have life, we are alive in the Lord,

and if we die, we die in the Lord.

So, then, whether we live or die,

we are the Lord’s possession.

Happy from now on

are those who die in the Lord!

So it is, says the Spirit,

for they rest from their labors.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd,

I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside cquiet waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He guides me in the cpaths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will bdwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Pray