Charles "Chuck" H. Smith

Charles “Chuck” H. Smith
CHERRYVALE — Charles “Chuck” Hoyt Smith, age 77, of Cherryvale passed away Monday, Nov. 30, 2020 at his home with family at his side.
The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, at Wickham Family Funeral Home, 216 E. 4th, Cherryvale.
Celebration of life funeral services will be held 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 5 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church with Father Zachary Pinaire, officiating.
Interment will immediately follow the service at Fairview Cemetery, Cherryvale. Please practice social distancing and wear a mask.
Memorial remembrances are suggested to the Charles “Chuck” H. Smith Scholarship and they may be left or mailed to the funeral home.
He was born July 13, 1943, in Detroit, Mich., to Charles Hoyt and Gertrude Elizabeth (Bishof) Smith. Chuck is the eldest of two children. He was reared on a wildlife refuge in southeastern Oklahoma near Clayton where his dad was manager of the refuge and his mother was a homemaker.
Chuck attended school in Clayton and graduated from Clayton High School in 1961. In 1963, he graduated from Eastern Oklahoma State College with an associates of science degree in education He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education.
In 1976, he earned a master’s degree from Kansas State University.
While at school at Oklahoma State University, Chuck met Carlene Sylvia Storck, and they were married in 1965.
Following their marriage, the Smiths moved to Holton, Kan., where Chuck taught one year before entering the United States Army. He served as a sergeant from 1966 to 1968 and was honorably discharged after deployment to South Vietnam.
Upon his return home from military duty, Chuck and Carlene moved to Cherryvale where Chuck taught vocational agriculture for 32 years until his retirement in 1999.
He was a member of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He was a lifetime member of the Cherryvale FFA Alumni, Kansas Association of Agriculture Educators (KVATA), and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Chuck served on the Cherryvale Fair Board as well as the Montgomery County Fair Board. He also served as a member of the Cherryvale Museum Board.
Chuck’s greatest joys were his family being together and watching his grandchildren’s activities. He enjoyed working in his yard and his shop, and sharing his toy tractor collection and talking with people. He had a passion for team roping and sports in general.
Chuck took immense pride in his former students. He loved hearing from former students and was proud of their many achievements and accomplishments.
In return, his former students were always kind, thoughtful and generous to Chuck and his family. Throughout his retirement, he enjoyed their friendships and visits.
Chuck is survived by his wife of 55 years, Carlene, of the home; a daughter, Cinda (Mike) Smith of Hutchinson, Kan.; a daughter, Casi (Josh) Addis of Cherryvale; and a son, Cody (Nichole) Smith of Cherryvale; his four grandchildren, Cade Addis, Maddux Smith, Ricci Smith and Cooper Smith; his sister, Sandra (James) Creel of Muskogee, Okla.; and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Charles and Waunda Storck of Braman, Okla.; nephews Shane Storck, Chris Creel, Corey Storck, Jared Creel and a niece, Felicia Gant.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his father-in-law; and mother-in-law.