Charles Loring Smith Jr.

SMITH JR., Charles Loring “Andy” 88, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2023 surrounded by family. He was born December 13, 1934, in Tampa, Florida and was preceded in death by his parents Mary Madeline Ross and Charles Loring Smith, Sr., and his stepmother, Leslie Holland Smith.

Andy lived in several cities throughout the southeast until moving to Central City, Nebraska in 1947 where he graduated from high school. He attended Northwestern University in Chicago, later transferring to the University of Nebraska where he majored in English and Political Science. He graduated in 1956 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

At Nebraska, he was president of Beta Theta Pi fraternity; one of 13 members of The Innocents Society (the senior men’s honorary); president of the All-University Fund; treasurer of Nebraska Builders; and member of Kosmet Klub and Student Council.

Following graduation, he attended the United States Marine Corps’ Platoon Leaders Program at Quantico, Virginia, then served two years at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he was appointed an Artillery Battery Commander. For the next six years, he was a reservist in the Marine Corps’ Third Marine Division, attaining the rank of Captain.

He joined Procter & Gamble in 1958 and held several sales management positions until his retirement in 1991. Andy’s P&G postings included Clear Lake, Iowa, Omaha, Nebraska, Frankfurt, Germany, and Kansas City, Missouri. In 1975, he was transferred to Cincinnati, Ohio where he and his wife resided until they moved to Tampa in 2018. After retiring from P&G, Andy worked as National Sales Director for John Morrell, a division of Chiquita Brands International. He later worked as a sales consultant for many national brands.

Andy was a member of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church where he served as both Junior and Senior Warden of the Vestry. He also served for several years on the board of directors of the Episcopal Retirement Services’ nonprofit Marjorie P. Lee Retirement Community.

Andy is survived by his wife of 57 years, Linda Jensen Smith; his two daughters Mindy Smith Murphy of Tampa, Florida and Reagan Smith Knaus and son-in-law TJ Knaus of Deerfield, Illinois; and three grandchildren, Jed Murphy of Tampa and Tommy and Abby Knaus of Deerfield.

Always a gentleman, Andy never met a stranger. He had a dry, hilarious wit, the gift of gab, and a sincere interest in others. He delighted in his grandchildren and loved to spend time with his family, including “his boy Dudley,” his beloved 4-pound Yorkshire Terrier. He loved his Nebraska Cornhuskers, enjoyed talking politics, and was an avid reader and history buff. While he lived many places and spent most of his life in the Midwest, his heart always remained in Weaverville, North Carolina, where many of his extended family members have lived for over 200 years. His gentle spirit and brilliant mind will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 25, at 2 P.M at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. A reception will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Andy’s memory to St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, The Spring of Tampa Bay, or the Chicago Diabetes Project.