Robert “Bob” Smith, 86, Ph.D. of Basking Ridge, NJ passed away suddenly on October 11, 2025 .  He resided at 156 Goltra Drive for over 40 years.  Bob worked at Bell Labs for most of his career in Whippany, NJ. In his retirement Bob enjoyed designing and building model airplanes from scratch and then flying them remotely at the local airfield in Somerset County. He was also an avid fan of SciFi tv.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Bob graduated from Brooklyn Polytech and entered college at the Pratt Institute. He then went to M.I.T for his M.S. degree followed by Stanford University for his Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering.  

He is predeceased by his wife Anna and also by his good friend Elaine Lent of Lincroft, NJ. Bob was a man blessed with a wonderful mind, always curious, always ready to learn new things, and always upbeat with a smile on his face.  May he rest in peace.