Robert "Bob" Smith Sr.

Robert D. "Bob" Smith, Sr., 85, of Chepachet, Rhode Island, passed away on Monday, June 29, 2026. Born on January 3, 1941, in Providence, Rhode Island, he was the son of the late Charles E. Smith, Sr. and Dora M. (Fracasso) Smith. Bob is survived by his beloved wife, Linda Lianos Smith; his children, Robert D. Smith, Jr. and his wife Julie, Ronald A. Smith and his wife Melissa, and Kimberly A. Smith Barnett and her husband Lawrence; his grandchildren, Kendra J. Finocchiaro, Krista L. Smith, and Nathan R. Smith; his great-grandson, Enzo A. Finocchiaro; his brother, Charles E. Smith, Jr.; his former wife, Jean-Marie E. Smith; many nieces, nephews, and extended family. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister-in-law, Beverly Smith, his beloved dog, Patches, and many dear lifelong friends. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Frieda Bonia; Linda's children, Jennifer Lianos and Kendra Quinn; and the many members of Linda's family whom he was proud to call his own. Bob attended Hope High School in Providence, where he excelled in track and field, once holding the state pole vault record. He left school during his junior year and often joked that both his high school and college diplomas had "burned in a fire." Bob began his career as a body man at Bob Ronzio's body shop in the Shipyard of Providence, where he developed the skills that would stay with him for the rest of his life. He later spent thirty years as a roadway mechanic with Amtrak and was a proud member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). His hands always carried the unmistakable marks of a lifetime spent building, repairing, and restoring, with grease perpetually beneath his nails. His love of mechanics became one of his greatest gifts to his family. His sons inherited his passion and ability to work with their hands, while his daughter happily followed him through the garage, handing him tools and learning simply by being beside him. Bob taught by example. He showed them that if something was worth doing, it was worth doing well and that hard work mattered. Bob and Linda met during Bike Week in Linda's hometown in 2000, beginning a partnership built on shared adventures and common passions. They spent countless weekends riding motorcycles, attending car shows, enjoying race tracks, discovering new restaurants, listening to live music, and spoiling their beloved dog, Patches. When most people thought they were crazy for buying a rundown house in the woods of Chepachet without running water, Bob and Linda simply made it look easy. Through a year of determination, hard work, and countless hours of labor, they transformed it into the beautiful home they had always dreamed of. Bob was a gearhead. Motorcycles, hot rods, and race cars were his lifelong passions. Weekends began at Rudy's Bike Shop in Pawtucket, where Bob and Rudy led the pack on rides throughout New England. After retiring, Bob built a custom motorcycle entirely from the frame up, a bike he proudly continued to own for the rest of his life. Every few years he'd reinvent it with a fresh paint scheme. His love of racing was passed down by his father and became a family tradition. Bob raced a dragster at Thompson Speedway until a serious crash brought his career to an end. He and his brother Charlie became lifelong supporters of oval track racing in the grandstands at Thompson, Seekonk, and Stafford Speedways, rarely missing a race. Together they shared more than seventy years of memories built around race tracks, garages, engines, and family. Bob and Linda proudly showed their 1927 Ford T-Bucket and 1936 Chevrolet Coupe at car shows throughout New England. Together with his sons and his brother, he restored a stunning yellow 1931 Ford Model A, with Bob personally completing the bodywork and paint. During the past fifteen years, he found tremendous joy serving on his son-in-law's modified racing pit crew and providing both in-shop and trackside support for his grandson's race cars. Whether turning wrenches in the garage, helping prepare a race car before the green flag dropped, or sitting in the grandstands, Bob was exactly where he wanted to be. Family traditions were among Bob's greatest treasures. Wednesday evenings meant spaghetti dinners at Papa and Gramma’s house. Friday nights meant Miller's Roast Beef in East Providence. Sunday afternoons meant Portside Restaurant in Galilee. Winters meant trips to his parents' cabin in Foster, cutting firewood and wandering through the woods. One of Bob's favorite expressions was, "Put your money away," usually delivered with a wave of his hand as he insisted on paying the bill. As his kids grew older and were finally able to return the favor, they loved telling him to "put your money away." More often than not, he smiled, gave in, and let them treat him. Almost wherever Bob went, there was music following him. He was always humming, whether he was working in the garage, driving down the road, or sitting in the grandstands. He loved classic country, the blues, and going to see live music with Linda and Kim. Bob was stoic, a man of few words, and an extremely social loner. He passed on his work ethic, determination, and mechanical ability to his family. His greatest legacy was not the cars he restored, the motorcycles he built, or the countless things he repaired. It was the example he set. He believed in hard work, self-reliance, keeping your word, and taking care of the people you love. He believed in his friends and family, stood by them, and was always there when they needed him. Though super modified engines will continue to roar, motorcycles will still gather for weekend rides, and old cars will continue to shine beneath the summer sun, there will always be one seat that feels impossibly empty. There will never be another Bob. In lieu of flowers or memorial donations, the family asks that the next time you're holding a hot dog, you remember Bob by doing the "Bob Smith Twist." Put the condiments on the bun, place the hot dog on top, and give it a good twist to spread everything around just right. It's how Bob always did it. A memorial service will be held on Monday July 13th at 6pm in the Winfield & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 571 West Greenville Rd., Scituate. Visitation will begin two hours prior starting at 4pm

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Robert "Bob" Smith Sr.

June 29, 2026