Charles was born on May 22, 1946, in Trenton, NJ to Paul and Alberta Smith and was a lifelong resident of Fallsington. He graduated from Pennsbury High School in 1964 and attended Community College until he was drafted into the US Army in 1967. He served his country honorably in the Vietnam War, receiving the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal. He was a true hero.
After returning home from Vietnam, he married Linda in June of 1969 and had two children, Jennifer and Jason. He found a true passion for science and became a senior scientist at GE-BETZ Laboratories for 30 years. He retired from GE-Bets and went on to work for Accenture (ETS) where he retired after 10 years. He loved his work and made lifelong friends and was loved by all.
All through life, Charles enjoyed being active. He played volleyball for 40 plus years with some of the teachers of the Pennsbury School District. His greatest joys were spending time with his family going camping, fishing, hiking, kayaking, cooking new dishes for the family and listening to music. He also enjoyed doing projects around the home and always lending a helping hand to family and friends when needed. One of his most favorite memories was his cross-country RV trip around the United States with his wife Linda and his brother-in-law Bernie and sister-in-law Phil.
He will be missed by all.
Predeceased by his parents, Charles is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Linda Easley Smith; his daughter, Jennifer Ritter (fiance James L. Verrelli II); his son Jason Smith; his grandchildren, Arik Ritter, Amber Ritter, Cierra Smith, Cyrus Smith, and Caiden Smith; his sister, Evelyn M (the late Michael G.) O'Donnell; his brothers and sisters-in-law, Connie (Robert) Papp, Bernie (philomena) Easley, and Kenneth (Mary Ann) Easely; 5 niece and nephews; and 11 great nieces and nephews.
A memorial service for Charles will be held Tuesday, February 27, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at James J. Dougherty Funeral Home, 2200 Trenton Road, Levittown, Pennsylvania 19056. A funeral service will begin at 12:00 PM. A burial will occur Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 1:30 PM at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, 830 Highland Rd, Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940. Please be in line at the main office no later than 1:15 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Charles' memory to the Wounded Warriors Project at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/.
We want to thank all the doctors and nurses at Capital Health Hospital for all the wonderful care, time and support. Your staff was amazing, caring for Charles and helping our family through the difficult and emotional time.