Bobby Glenn Smith

Bobby Glenn Smith passed away, surrounded by his loving family on Monday, January 20, 2020, following a brief illness. Bobby was born in the sweltering summer of 1935 to Clinton and Jewell Polk Smith in Mount Olive, Miss., where he and his older siblings, Gerald and Doris, spent their early years before moving to Pascagoula, Miss., in 1942. From a young age, Bobby showed athletic prowess and played every sport imaginable, excelling in baseball and becoming a lifelong fan and almost a player for the St. Louis Cardinals. In later years, he added the Atlanta Braves to the teams he followed and held dear. He was a Who Dat from the very beginning, going so far as taking his family to see the Saints play the Houston Oilers in the Astrodome in the summer of 1968. He loved nothing better than discussing the intricacies of football with his three cheerleader daughters and, later, their husbands, breaking down plays and analyzing strategy with the best of them. He should have been a coach; he would have been among the very best. He was also an avid USM Golden Eagles fan, always following and often attending both football and baseball games. Bobby met the love of his life, Lavoy Byrd, at Pascagoula High School, where she “helped” him pass Algebra. They swear it wasn’t cheating. Turns out, it was flirting. She tried setting him up with a friend, but he went for the matchmaker instead. They were married for almost 65 years. Bobby proudly served in the National Guard and was a steadfast patriot. Following a short stint stationed with the Guard in Pensacola, Fla., he moved back to Pascagoula, where he began a 39-year career building warships and submarines at Ingalls Shipbuilding, doing his part to help the U.S. Navy defend our country and our freedom. In March of 1963, he and Lavoy moved to Vancleave, where he lived out his years as a loyal Vancleave Bulldog. He was President of the Vancleave Quarterback Club for many years, helping to revitalize the program to the success it is today. Bobby was a founding member of Bluff Creek Hunting Club, where he was known as “Thinman.” He loved to hunt; he loved his fellow hunters and their camaraderie even more. Bobby also volunteered with the Vancleave Volunteer Fire Department, lending his service as a fireman and treasurer of the organization. In his later years, Bobby’s paramount joy was found in the company of his grandchildren, wielding magical powers (such as finding elusive sleep with a quick trip to the blueberry bushes) and holding super hero status (he was “the greatest” of all … which was showing pure, unconditional love). Bobby is survived by his wife, Lavoy Byrd Smith, his daughters, Lesa (Jett) Logan, of Tampa, Fla., Lori (Jeff) Hayes of Vancleave, and Lynda (Robert) Lesley of Madison, Miss.; his grandchildren, Tyler (Liz) Hayes of Granville, Ohio, Sarah Hayes of Vancleave, Adam Hayes of Hattiesburg, and Alex (Kelsey) Lesley of Gulfport; great-grandson, Emerson Hayes; sister, Doris Smith Thomas of Pascagoula, as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, and wonderful friends throughout South Mississippi. He is preceded in death by his parents, Clinton and Jewell Polk Smith; brother, Gerald Smith; and great-grandson, Oliver Lesley. A brief celebration of life will be held at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 4901 Jim Ramsay Road, Vancleave, on Friday, January 24, 2020. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. and service at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests you honor Bobby’s lifelong love of the outdoors through a donation to the Foundation of the Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, www.foundationmwfp.com.