Robert Hampton Smith

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~WELCOME~

"IN GOD'S HANDS"
~MEMORIAL PAGES~

~HEAVEN'S WARRIORS~

~ROBERT HAMPTON SMITH~

~CROSS THE RIVER JORDAN~
("To the Tune of "Shenandoah")

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROBERT HAMPTON SMITH
SEPTEMBER 8, 1983 ~ MARCH 15, 2000
AND FOR ALL PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST A CHILD

My precious child, I miss your sweet smile!
   Away, you’ve flown away!
   Seems like it’s been a long, long while.
   Away, you’ve flown away ‘cross the River Jordan.

   For all your life, I loved you dearly.
   Away, you’ve flown away!
   For all my life, I’ll miss you fiercely.
   Away, you’ve flown away ‘cross the River Jordan.

   And, precious one, I miss your laughter!
   Away, you’ve flown away!
   But someday soon I’ll follow after.
   Away, I’ll fly away ‘cross the River Jordan.

   And when I reach that golden shore
   Away, across that river,
   I’ll be with you forevermore—
   Away, we’ll be away ‘cross the River Jordan.

   And then once more I’ll hear your laughter,
   Away across that river;
   And we’ll be happy ever after,
   Away, when we’re away ‘cross the River Jordan.

Saralyn McAfee Smith

ROBBIE AT AGE 2 ON HIS GRANDPA ROY'S SHOULDER
AT OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C.

~BORN TO EARTH~
SEPTEMBER 8, 1983

~BORN TO HEAVEN~
MARCH 15, 2000

ROBBIE HOLDING HIS NEWBORN NIECE, SIERRA
THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1999
HIS 16TH BIRTHDAY (HIS LAST) WAS ONLY ONE
WEEK AFTER SIERRA WAS BORN ~ SEPTEMBER 8, 1999

BELOVED SON OF:
HAMP & SARALYN SMITH

BELOVED GRANDSON OF:
ROY L. MCAFEE

BELOVED BROTHER OF:
LAURA ELIZABETH SMITH

BELOVED UNCLE OF:
SIERRA LASHAYE SMITH

BELOVED NEPHEW OF:
BOB & JUDY MCAFEE, JERRY & RENIE MCAFEE,
JOHN & DONNA MCAFEE, DON & KAREN MCAFEE
JIM & PATTI SMITH

BELOVED FIRST COUSIN OF:
SUZANNE WHITE, TOM MCAFEE, TIM MCAFEE,
DONNA BASSETT, DAVID MCAFEE, ANDY MCAFEE,
ROB MCAFEE, WENDY WRAY, JEFF MCAFEE & BETH MCAFEE

TOO MANY OTHER FRIENDS & FAMILY TO ENUMERATE!

~THINGS ROBBIE LOVED~

His Lord Jesus Christ
His family and friends
Church and Pastor Jim
Trains—real ones and models
Baseball and Football
Collecting coins, stamps, model cars, and baseball cards
Games of all kinds—board or video
Any kind of food, especially pizza and Dr. Pepper
Making cross-stitched pictures of trains, planes, sports teams
Roller blading and riding his bike
Action or war movies, watched over and over
His dog "Murray" and cats "Whitey," "Mac," and "Samantha"
Swimming and fishing
The beach and the creek behind Grandpa’s house
Being outside in any kind of weather
HUGS!!!!

THIS IS THE LAST KNOWN PHOTO OF ROBBIE,
TAKEN JUST 10 DAYS BEFORE HE DIED.

HE ENJOYED A BRISK RIDE IN THE COUNTRY WITH A
FRIEND (AND DEACON) FROM OUR CHURCH, MIKE WEBER.

~THINGS ROBBIE ENDURED WITH A SMILE~

Brain seizures (sometimes as often as every 10 minutes)
Three brain surgeries
Frequent stays in the hospital
Taking a fistful of medicines 4 times a day
Frequent shots and having to have blood drawn
Having to relearn to read at age 11, after brain surgery
Knowing he would never be allowed to drive a car

Death came suddenly and unexpectedly following a seizure in his sleep---we never had a chance to say goodbye. But he came in a vision to his sister, Laura, before she knew he was gone---a blinding vision of rainbows and clouds and flower-filled meadows that came to her as she was being driven to the hospital to see him, and she "saw" Robbie running freely and joyfully through that meadow, with the biggest smile on his face that she had ever seen!

ROBBIE & HIS SISTER LAURA

WHEN THEY WERE BOTH ABOUT 3 YEARS OLD

And so we know that Robbie is free and well and whole now, and so happy to be home with his Lord. And we also know that he will be waiting at Heaven’s door to greet us all someday, with that wonderful bright smile and a huge bear hug, as one by one God calls us home.

~A YEAR LATER~
Written by:
Saralyn McAfee Smith

Am I different now?
Sometimes it seems that way—
That I have only one identity—
A mother who has lost a child.
Do others think of me that way, too?
The pain has seared my very soul
And left scars on my psyche.
Do they show?
Do strangers mark me as one who mourns?
I do sometimes laugh now,
But I never truly forget.
I remember HIS laughter
And wish I could hear it once more.
I feel guilty when I forget for even an instant
That he is gone and will never come back.
But my heart goes on beating
And my lungs keep on breathing
And the days keep on passing,
One by one.
I begin to take small pleasures,
Just baby steps at first—
Sights or sounds or colors or tastes.
But soon I am running again,
And sometimes I even feel joy.
Then I remember
What joy HE always found in life,
And I don’t feel guilty any more.
I can almost see him smile.

FOR ROBBIE,
WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN 18 TODAY
Written by:
Saralyn M. Smith
9-8-2001

How melancholy now this day when you were born—
A day we used to greet with balloons and streamers and song.
How I loved to see the smile on your face and in your eyes
As you saw the surprises we had hidden away.
You jumped with excitement at the thought of the party to come
With all your special friends
And games and music and prizes and fun—
And, of course, best of all, the cake made just for you,
Embellished with your name and age and all ablaze with candles.
Oh, the magic of closing your eyes and making the perfect wish
That was sure to come true!
Now, the only wish that I would ever make
Can never come to pass,
For you cannot return.
A great longing to see you and hold you and kiss you
Comes over me and brings me down.
Still, even in my grief, come flashes
Of memories that can never fade—
The sweetness of your smile and voice,
The goodness of your soul.
And deep within me rises yet again
The hope that we will meet once more,
In God’s own time and place.
Happy birthday, my precious child!

~YOU'RE STILL YOU~
~Author Unknown~

Through the darkness
I can see your light;
And you will always shine
And I can feel your heart in mine.
Your face I’ve memorized--
I idolize just you.
I look up to
Everything you are;
In my eyes you do no wrong--
I’ve loved you for so long;
And after all is said and done,
You’re still you.
After all, you’re still you.
You walk past me--
I can feel your pain.
Time changes everything--
One truth always stays the same:
You’re still you.
After all, you’re still you.
I look up to
Everything you are;
In my eyes you do no wrong,
And I believe in you,
Although you never asked me to--
I will remember you
And what life put you through;
And in this cruel and lonely world,
I found one love---
You’re still you.
After all, you’re still you.

~OH, ROBBIE BOY~
(Written to the music of Oh, Danny Boy)

10TH GRADE SCHOOL PHOTO OF ROBBIE

IN MEMORIAM:
ROBERT HAMPTON SMITH
SEPTEMBER 8, 1983 ~ MARCH 15, 2000

Oh, Robbie boy, our Lord, our Lord came calling
And took you home to Heaven with Him to be;
Now I’m alone and all my tears are falling,
For your sweet smile on earth no more I’ll see.
You’ll not come back, but someday I will join you;
When Jesus calls me, I’ll be glad to go,
For He will take me to you far beyond the blue.
Oh, Robbie boy, oh Robbie boy, I love you so.

Oh, Robbie boy, your days on earth seemed far too few,
And never did I think you’d have to go
Without a chance to hold you close and bid adieu—
Oh, Robbie boy, oh, Robbie boy, I miss you so.
And yet I know that you are happy, oh, my dear,
For all your pain and troubles now are through;
And when my time for leaving this sad earth is near,
I know for sure that I’ll be joining you.

Oh, Robbie boy, I don’t know how long I’ll be here;
I only know my Lord has work for me;
So when I’m sad, I’ll try to dry up all my tears
And think, instead, how happy you must be.
And someday when my work down here on earth is done,
He’ll come and take me to that golden shore,
Where we will be forever happy, precious one,
And death and pain and tears will be no more.