Obituary of Charles L. Smith

Charles L. Smith, 79, of St. Maries, passed away on March 5, 2021 in St. Maries. He was born on December 4, 1941 in Mountain Pine, Arkansas; Charles was the son of Elzie and Edith (Blankenship) Smith. The family moved to St. Maries in the early 1950s. Charles graduated from St. Maries High School in 1960. He married Terese Findlay in 1973 and together they had a son, Andrew. They eventually divorced and he later married Donna Haynes and together they raised his stepchildren Katherine and Ronald. Charles worked for the Forest Service for several years after high school. He also worked for Potlatch Lumber for over 20 years, from where he retired. Charles was a member of the Elks Lodge. He enjoyed playing golf and was a huge sports fan; he loved watching Gonzaga basketball, and the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks. Charles was a kind and generous man, he had a great sense of humor and loved talking with people. Charles is survived by his son Andrew (Kristen) Smith of Charlotte, North Carolina, stepchildren Katherine (Brian) Owen of Cohutta, Georgia and Ron Martell of Coeur d’Alene, brother Paul (Colleen) Smith and sister Glenda Gentry all of St. Maries. He is also survived by 4 grandchildren and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends. Charles was preceded in death by his parents, brother Gary Smith and his brother-in-law Dean Gentry. A private family service is planned for a later date.