Robert John “Bob” Geurtz

Robert John “Bob” Geurtz, 77, of Fort Smith passed away on Sunday January 11, 2026 in Fort Smith. He was born on April 2, 1948 in Milwaukee, WI to Robert P. Geurtz and Marjorie J. Geurtz (White). He grew up on Air Force bases in the US and Germany as his father was a career Air Force officer. He graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1971 and received a commission in the US Army through the ROTC program. He was assigned to Fort Hamilton, NY where he met his future wife Betty Anne Bower of West Sayville, NY. After a year of service in South Korea, he married Betty and moved to his next assignment at Fort Ord, CA. He completed his four-year active duty obligation in 1975 and started graduate school at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. After receiving his master’s degree, he obtained employment as a civilian with the Army Reserve in Lubbock, TX. In 1979, he transitioned to the Active Guard and Reserve program and retuned to active duty with an Army Reserve medical unit as a training officer. He later served as an ROTC instructor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He went on to assignments in Atlanta, GA and Nashville, TN, where he deployed with his unit to Saudi Arabia for the Persian Gulf War and served as the adjutant of a medical brigade. He was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and served as Site Director at the Regional Training Site Medical at Fort Chaffee, AR. In 1995, he retired from the Army.

His decorations include the Bronze Star, Legion Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with five oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Korean Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, and the Expert Infantryman Badge.

After military retirement, Mr. Geurtz went back to college at Westark College in Fort Smith, AR to study accounting. He started work for the Arkansas Department of Human Services as a program evaluator for Developmental Disabilities Services in Little Rock. At night, he continued his accounting studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In 1998, he became the business manager at Christ the King Catholic Church in Fort Smith, AR. While at Christ the King, he participated in several facility expansion projects as well as the daily business operations of the church. He retired from Christ the King in 2019 after 21 years of service.

He was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his wife Betty Anne and daughter Sara Geurtz. He is also survived by his sons Phillip Geurtz of Lexington, KY, James Geurtz and his wife Sarah and granddaughter Lillian of Fayetteville, AR, John Geurtz of Kokomo, IN, and granddaughter Megan Williams, husband Jordan Williams, greatgrandchildren Karter and Marlee of Winchester, KY and Granddaughter Avery of Lexington, KY. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters Rev. Gary Geurtz, Judy King, Suzi Johnson and her husband Steven, William Geurtz and his wife Susan, and Michael Geurtz, all of Fort Worth, TX, and Margie Spiegelmyer and her husband David of Van Alstyne, TX.

Memorial Funeral Mass will be at 9:30 AM Friday January 23, 2026 at Sacred Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Barling with burial with U.S. Army Military Honors in U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Ocker-Putman Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Sacred Heart of Mary Catholic Church or the Saint Anne Society at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Fort Smith.