Robert "Bob" Nelson Smith

Robert "Bob" Nelson Smith, 85, passed away peacefully at his residence on October 19, 2026, with his daughters by his side.

Bob was born on February 13, 1941, in Russell County, Alabama, and raised in Columbus, Georgia where he played on Columbus' first Little League team. He graduated from Columbus High School in 1959. Following high school, Bob proudly served in the United States Coast Guard from 1960 to 1963, stationed in Miami, St. Louis, and the Philippines. Bob always remembered his time in the service with great pride and loved telling stories of his time overseas—stories that his family fondly suspects were told with very little exaggeration. Among his favorites was the tale of returning home to Columbus from the Philippines, only to discover his parents had moved without telling him because a letter with their new address never reached him.

Though he briefly considered following his father and uncles into the railroad, Bob’s love for the outdoors—cultivated growing up hunting, fishing, and finding trouble on his grandparents' farm—prevailed. In 1967, he graduated with a degree in Forestry from Lake City Junior College and Forest Ranger School in Florida. He went on to work for Georgia Kraft, manage several farms, and, in 1983, began a more than 40-year career with W.R. Bean & Sons developing and managing The Rock Plantation. He built a stellar reputation as a well-respected, hard worker and became legendary for his famous hunting parties, where he would roast a pig in the ground for 24 hours and slow-cook Brunswick stew in his grandmother’s cast-iron pot over an open fire.

Above all, Bob’s greatest joy was his family. He believed "Who needs sons when you have daughters?” and raised his daughters to work right alongside him on the farm—teaching them to work cows, fish, and raise show animals in 4H. When the farm work was done, he was a devoted father: teaching Kelly to drive a stick shift at age 12, and spending quiet Sunday afternoons watching golf with Jennifer. Later in life, he took immense pride in being "Granddaddy," teaching Justin, David, and Scott invaluable lessons about the outdoors that could never be found in a book.

Bob was preceded in death by his father, Robert Lewis Smith; his mother, Susie Nell Horn Smith; his sister, Judith Horn Smith; and his beloved companion and lap warmer, Lucy.

He is survived by his daughters, Kelly McLaughlin (Mike Hatten) of Thomaston and Jennifer Hatcher (Joe) of Dacula, GA; his grandsons, Justin Sollenberger (Lindsey) of Columbus, GA, David Russell (Kala) of Columbus, GA, and Scott Russell (Joslyn) of Molena, GA; his great-grandchildren Ava Russell, J.D. Russell, and Baby Jane Russell (arriving in December); his sister-in-law Katherine Taylor of Altha, FL; his step-daughters, Adrian Griffith and Callie Coker, along with their children; and his best friend, David Poole.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the Bean family for their friendship and for embracing Bob as part of their own family. Theo Bean promised to always take care of Bob, and Theo would be so proud of his sons and grandsons for honoring that promise and allowing Bob to live out his life on the farm.

The family will hold a private service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Bob's honor to Thomaston Hospice.