Bobby Gene Smalling

Bobby Gene Smalling, 84, of Prineville Oregon passed away on June 2, 2022.  Bobby was born on April 16, 1938 to George and Hattie Smalling in Bethel Oklahoma.  There will be a Memorial Service on Friday, June 17, 2022 at the First Assembly of God in Prineville, 835 S. Main Street, Prineville, OR 97754, at 1:00 pm.   

Bobby Smalling moved to Oregon in 1956.  He worked for Hudspeth Land and Livestock until he began working construction in 1958. His early construction projects included building Dams and several County / State Roads.  Bobby married Donna Davis in 1959 and started his family.  In 1964 he and Donna took their young family and moved back to Oklahoma where he worked on the Broken Bow Dam, then moved back to Oregon in 1965.  For the next several years Bobby worked for many construction companies building bridges, buildings and doing cement work throughout Central Oregon.  In 1982 he began working for McFarland Construction building several Les Schwab stores in Oregon and Washington.  Bobby went to work for the Crook County Road Department in 1986, where he worked for 14 years until his retirement in 2000. 

Bobby had a strong work ethic and though the work he did was hard and often took him away from home, he did so to provide and care for his family. 

Bobby belonged to the Laborers’ International Union of North America and received a 50 Year membership certificate. 

Bobby and Donna worked together in their retirement years hand in hand on many projects and keeping up their garden. Sharing much with others as the harvest was always bountiful.  Other hobbies included restoring old carriages, buggies and buckboard wagons, raising the family beef and woodworking.   

Although Bobby worked hard and traveled for work, he loved spending time with his family and rarely missed attending sporting events for his children and grandchildren.  Hunting deer and elk with his family is something he always looked forward to and enjoyed.  He participated in many parades in Prineville showing off his restored carriages, buggies and wagons.  The Crook County Fair welcomed him for many years where he displayed them for the community to also enjoy.  He never knew a stranger and enjoyed visiting with his friends and family.  He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. 

Bobby Smalling is survived by his wife Donna Smalling, Daughters: Frances (Jeff) Collier, Karen (Jeff) Carver, LaDonna Stafford, Grandchildren: Marshall (Julie) Cooley, Jenni (Izaac) Carver-Ross, Jeffrey (Nikki) Carver, Candace (Gary) Singer, Kelsie Stafford, Gabe Stafford, Gavin Stafford, Ashton (Collier) Dupont, Kourtney (Collier) Henderson, Great-Grandchildren: Eli, Gracie, Kaiden, Kaylee, LaVelle, Destry, Henry, Lucy, Willa, and Rusty, also by numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. 

Bobby Smalling is preceded in death by his father George Washington Smalling, Mother Hattie Frances (White) Smalling, Brothers: Jasper, Conzia, Billy, Sisters: Alma, Thelma, and Edna, Son-in-law: Milt Stafford. 

Whispering Pines Funeral Home is honored to assist the family with arrangements – 3168 NE 3rd Street – Prineville, Oregon   97754  (541) 416-9733. 

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