Sunday, April 14, 2024
Bob Smith was a friend before he was a family member. I met him in the late 1970's while I was dating his best friend, Gary Rumianowski (who later became my husband). He was always laughing or complaining in those days. One of my favorite memories of Bob was when the Hamilton area had a crazy blizzard. The snow was deep but as young people, we were not deterred. Our mutual friend, Kenny Reiss, Bob, Gary and I jumped into Kenny's white van. We struggled as we headed out of Yardville into Allentown. There were snow drifts everywhere and we plowed through most of it and pushed ourselves out of other snowdrifts with Bob moaning the whole way. He made us laugh and I remember the sound of his voice with fear that we'd get stuck and have to walk home. I remember his smile as he complained once again about how crazy the roads were, the weather was and we were. We eventually turned around wondering why we even tried to go out in that weather. The Snow Bus was a lifetime memory of Bob.
I will miss my brother-in-law. I will miss his laugh and his complaining. But mostly I will miss the genuine person he was. He told it like it was, "LIfe According to Bob" and I respect him for that. He will be missed by his wife, Linda for all their years together, his daughter, Tiffany and her husband Tanner, and his sister, Kathy, who was always with him. Bob will be forever missed by our family, especially me. Rest in peace, Bob.
