In his letter nominating Bobby Ralph Smith to the  Knott County Hall of Fame
Elmer Ray Combs had the following to say of his neighbor and friend. "I have watched Bobby Ralph grow from a baby into a senior-citizen and he has always 
shown character beyond any-doubt". Bobby Ralph was born March 7, 1942  to Ada  Grigsby Smith and the late Ralph Smith. At present he is married to Carol Russell Smith and they have one son Jeffery Lynn Smith. Jeffery is married to Lynn Brewer Smith and they have blessed Bobby Ralph with Ryan Jeffery
Smith, his only grandchild.          

Growing up on Lotts Creek it was only natural that  he would attend Cordia High
School but it is doubtful that he ever gave any consideration to the idea that he
would one day return to serve as principal of that institution. After graduation from Cordia in 1960, Bobby Ralph left the county to attend college at Morehead State  University. From 1960 to 1964 he attended Morehead  and was rewarding with Bachelor of Arts Degree in  1964. Like so many before and after him the education he received at Cordia was more than just what he picked up from      
going to class. It was here that was born the desire to teach and as soon as he
could he returned to-Eastern Kentucky with that goal. His first job in the class
room however was not at Cordia but at Fleming Neon High School in Letcher
County. But his tenure in Letcher County was short lived (1964-65) for the
following year he was given the opportunity to return home to Lotts Creek and
Cordia High School. From 1965 until 1975 Bobby Ralph taught and coached
basketball at Cordia. 

From 1975 to 1994 he served Cordia High School and Grade School as principal. And it was in this capacity that most remember him and his many achievements These were not easy years for the school and community. Many local people and others from the Kentucky State Department of Education expressed concern that Cordia High School should be closed and its students bused to other schools. The  continued call for the closing of Cordia did not sway Bobby Ralph and he held firm to the idea of a local community based school. Not only was Cordia not closed, today the community is blessed with a new modern school facility. The Lotts Creek  community owes Bobby Ralph a great deal of the credit for the revitalized growth of the school and the community in general. Nearing retirement, Bobby Ralph stepped down as principal of Cordia in 1994 and relocated to the Knott County Board of Education's Central Office. Here he continued to work for the students of Knott County as purchasing agent until his retirement in 1997.

Bobby Ralph Smith has devoted his life to the children and parents of the Lotts Creek Community. His success is their success and they have complemented each other well. As Elmer Ray stated in his closing paragraph, "Bobby Ralph is a good neighbor and I feel that he is very deserving.

 Submitted by Corbett Mullins