Robert Smith

Robert Donavan "Donnie" Smith Sr., 77, of Cooks Mills, IL passed away at 7:38 A.M. Thursday, April 10, 2008 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, IL.

Donnie was born June 17, 1930 in Cooks Mills, IL. He was a son of Henry Clay and Estelle Irene (Camern) Smith. He married Eleanore (Morris) Morlen on January 24, 1968 in Cooks Mills, IL.

Survivors include his wife, Eleanore Smith of Cooks Mills, IL; five children, Robert Donavan Smith Jr. and his wife, Lisa, of Severn, MD, Kathy Decker and her husband, William, of Paris, MO, Barbara Hall and her husband, Butch, of Tuscola, IL, Melvin Morlen and Judy, of Scottsburg, IN and Cindy Morlen and Armando, of Berkeley Springs, WV; fourteen grandchildren, Erin, Lauren and McKenzie Smith, Henry and Elvis Van Decker, Tammy Maggi, Ashley Board and John Burch, Brandon Morlen, Misty Reed, Pam Hawkins, Jason Mays, Robert Mays and Angelique Wyatt and Angelique's father, Bernard Sunderland; one brother, Delmar John Lindsey Smith of Cooks Mills, IL; one sister-in-law, Florence Smith of Cooks Mills, IL and several nieces and nephews.

His parents, three brothers, Charlie, Vernon and Harvey Smith and one grandson, Robert Dean Decker preceded him in death.

Donnie retired as a Staff Sergeant from the United State Army after twenty years of service to his country, having served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was also a lifetime member of the Mattoon VFW.

He worked as a mechanic in Baltimore, MD for several years. Donnie moved back to Cooks Mills in 1993 where he enjoyed hauling many of his Amish friends. He enjoyed drinking coffee at Adam's Grocery in Cooks Mills. He also loved to play chess and go hunting and fishing.