The Reverend Robin Penman Smith, 87, of Plano, Texas, passed away peacefully at his home on October 25, 2026. A celebration of life will be held at Church of the Transfiguration in Dallas, Texas, details regarding time and date to be announced later.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth; his father, Harold Penman; his stepmother, Haldis; and his brother, Jonathan. He will be greatly missed by his beloved wife, Diana; his son and daughter-in-law, Timothy and Brittani; his daughter and son-in-law, Juliana and Nathan; his step-grandchildren, Chloe and Ethan; his former step-granddaughter, Victoria; and his former step-great-granddaughter, Everly.

Robin was born in Ontario, Canada, on July 31, 1939, to Harold Penman Smith and Ruth Moffatt Bell. His parents’ marriage ended, and Robin remained with his father, who later married Haldis Teresa Johnansen. Together, they had two sons, David and Jonathan, who were Robin’s half-brothers.

Robin enlisted in the Canadian Navy at age 16. By 1960, he had begun attending Gordon College, where he met his future wife, Diana Louise McNatt. They married in 1965. Robin later became a naturalized American citizen, and the couple had two children, Timothy and Juliana.

Robin attended Yale Divinity School and was ordained as an Episcopal priest. He received his doctorate in Church Growth from Fuller Theological Seminary.

After serving churches in Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Kentucky, Robin and his family moved to Texas, where they planted Church of the Apostles in Coppell, Texas. Upon retiring from active service at Church of the Apostles, he was made a canon by Bishop James Stanton and began serving as an interim priest at St. Peter’s in McKinney, Texas, and Trinity Episcopal Church in Dallas, Texas. He also served as a supply priest at several churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, ultimately serving at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Bonham, Texas, in his final appointment.

Robin traveled the world as both a tourist and a missionary. Early in his marriage, he explored the United Kingdom and Europe. He later led church trips to the Holy Land and to sites associated with the life and ministry of St. Paul. He also served as a missionary in Ecuador, Uganda, and China.

An author, Robin published his doctoral thesis, Leading Christians to Christ: Evangelizing the Church, in 1990. In 2014, he published The Burial, a spiritual murder mystery, and in 2020, he published Poems From the Heart, a collection of poetry. In addition to these works, he regularly shared other creative writing projects on social media.

Those who knew Robin remember him as patient, wise, loving, and kind. He loved God, his family, and his country. He enjoyed the written works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Agatha Christie. He also enjoyed reading, art, writing, film, and other creative pursuits.