We regret to advise of the death of Warrant Officer Robert Perkin Smith, CD (Ret’d) of Waterford, NB, unexpectedly, on 17 January 2019 at the age of 72 years.
A veteran of 36 years of military service, Robert was born in Cape Tormentine, NB and enlisted in the Canadian Forces in Moncton NB in 1967. His early training and employment in the Canadian Army was with the Armoured Corps (Royal Canadian Dragoons, Lord Strathcona’s Horse and VIII Canadian Hussars). In 1971 he started training to become a Mapper and was posted to Mapping and Charting Establishment (MCE) in Ottawa in July 1972 as a Topographic Surveyor.
Robert served with the Canadian Military Engineers in MCE for almost 30 years – first as a Topographic Surveyor and then as a Geomatics Technician (1998). Robert traveled greatly domestically and internationally in service to his country. He had a variety of employments with MCE starting with the Manuscript Processing Section (1972-74) followed by three years with the Special Operations Centre (1976-79). He was engaged in Digital Mapping (1979-80) before being posted to Survey Squadron (1980) where he worked in Survey Stores (1981-82). Robert then served in the United Kingdom for two years on an Exchange Posting with 42 Survey Engineer Group, Royal Engineers in Hermitage, England (1985-87) during which time he participated in surveys in England and Norway.
After returning to Canada and MCE Robert, became the commander of the Revision Section. He deployed to Sarajevo in the Former Yugoslavia on Operation PALLADIUM in 1997-98. Later in 1998, he became a Geomatics Technician as was assigned to Geomatics Support Squadron Operations (1998-00). In May 2001 he became Commander Reproduction Troop for a year before retiring from the Canadian Forces in Sep 2001. After retirement, Robert continued to provide leadership within his community by devoting his time in support of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets, St. John Ambulance, and the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada.
A visitation will be held at Wallace Funeral Home, 34 Sunnyside Drive, Sussex NB on Thursday, 24 January 2019 from 1:00-3:00 and 6:00-8:00 pm. The Beaconsfield Orange Lodge, Waterford #78 will hold a tribute Thursday evening at 5:45 PM. A Celebration of Robert's life will be held from Wallace Community Chapel on Friday, 25 January 2019 at 11:00 am.
Condolences and donations in Robert's memory can be made at www.wallacefuneralhome.com . For those considering making a memorial donation, the family has recommended the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the New Brunswick Regiment, Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps.
