robert shelly smitherman 

ELKIN, April 3.-  Robert Shelly Smitherman, 74, was fatally shot either accidentally or intentionally yesterday at his home near East Bend.  His family believed that his gun with which he was hawk shooting on his farm might have discharged as he climbed a fence. He had ben absent several hours when the body was found.

He was married four times, his survivors including his widow, Mrs. Nancy Perry Smitherman, two daughters, Mrs. T.E. Hutchings of East Bend, Mrs. Rosa Hackett of Union, Iowa; seven sons, Gibert Smitherman of Charlotte, Rufus, Robert, Foy, Yancey, William and Jody Smitherman of East Bend; 21 granchildren, five great-grandchildren, one brothers, J.A. Smitherman, three sisters, Mesdames Matt Patterson and Sarah Poindexter of East Bend and Fannie Binkley of Winston-Salem.