AMay 06 1997
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, May 06, 1997
SMITH, ROBERT PAUL
Robert Paul Smith, age 73 a Pittsburgh native, died on March 5, 1997. He was an aerospace engineer by profession, but his consuming interest was chess, especially for the purpose of the intellectual development of children.
He held every office in the local chess club. As a boy, he played chess with a Canadian by post card, leading to a security investigation by the authorities, who did not understand at first what the notations meant.
After graduation for Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon) in 1944, Mr. Smith was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he was assigned to the Manhattan Project, which developed the atom bomb. Upon discharge from the Army he studied for a short period at California Tech, but left to begin his career as an aerospace engineer.
Mr. Smith leaves his sister, Helen Corcoran Schlenke of Pittsburgh, two nephews, Thomas B. Smith of Ross Township and James Blaine Smith III of Ann Arbor, MI; a grandnephew Ian Smith & a grand-niece, Rachel Smith both of Kent State College in Ohio.
A Memorial Service will be held for Mr. Smith at the First Unitarian Church, at Ellsworth Ave. 8. Morewood Ave., on Saturday, May 10, at 2:00 P.M. Memorial contributions to the ASH (Action on Smoking and Health), 2013 H. St. N.W., Washington, D.C. Mr. Smith died from emphysema. He was a chain smoker. Arrangements by THOMAS D. ENGLISH FUNERAL HOME.
