Robyn Joe Smiley

Robyn Joe Smiley, age 59, a resident of Hampton, Virginia, passed away on Monday, May 8, 2017. He was born May 7, 1958, at Stuttgart Memorial Hospital, in Stuttgart, Arkansas, to JoAnn Smiley. Robyn accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at a very early age, and became a member of First Baptist Church in Stuttgart, where he was baptized and discipled under the leadership of the late Rev. Deltha Lee O'Neal, Sr. Robyn attended school in the Stuttgart school district where he graduated from Stuttgart High School in 1975. He excelled academically and was a member of the National Beta Club. After graduation, he attended Arkansas State University, in Jonesboro, Arkansas. In 1978, he embraced the family tradition of military service to and joined the United States Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller. He served all over the country, including the United States, Japan, Europe, and Southwest Asia (Desert Shield/Desert Storm). In June 1998, he was honorably retired from the United States Air Force. Upon retirement he returned to college to complete his Bachelor of Science Degree in Information System Technology. While serving in the Netherlands, Robyn met Samantha Van der Schoot and they quickly became inseparable. They were united in holy matrimony on September 11, 1996, and enjoyed 20 years of love and devotion to each other until the day of his passing. Robyn was raised by his great-grandfather, Samuel Savage, and his great-aunt, Elurah Savage, whom both loved and adored him. He is remembered by all who knew him as a humble, kind and very gentle soul. Robyn was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Joe D. Smiley Sr., Mildred Smiley Timmons, and one brother, Maurice Savage. He leaves to cherish his memories his devoted wife, Samantha, his mother, Joann Smiley, North Little Rock, Ark., four sisters; Tanya (Joseph) Bivens, of Clarksville, Tenn., Sharon (Frank) Porter, Sherwood, Ark., Debra Gardenhire, Twinsburg, Ohio, Hollie (Maurice) Taylor, North Little Rock, and one brother, Michael (Crystal) Lewis, Harlem, N,Y. His loving mother in-law, Maria de Jong, two sisters-in-law, Sanny Van der Schootand Jolanda Van der Schoot, nephews, Dartellion Willems, Jayden Van der Schoot, and niece, Lesley Willems, all whom reside in IJsselstein, Netherlands. He leaves a hosts of aunts, uncles, niece's nephews, cousins and friends whom loved him dearly. Fly, Fight, Win….Job Well Done Airman! Visitation will be Friday, May 19, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth, 5800 West 12th Street, Little Rock. Following the visitation will be a procession to the Arkansas State Veteran's Cemetery in North Little Rock for funeral services at 12 noon.