Charles T. Smith
  • Born on: May 20, 1942
  • Departed on: March 10, 2021
  • Resided in: Norway, IA

Charles T. Smith

Charles “Charlie” T. Smith, 75 of Norway, Iowa, passed away early Wednesday morning, March 10, 2021 at his home following complications with a series of strokes.  Charlie’s wishes were cremation with no services.  Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home and Iowa Cremation is in charge of arrangements.  We hope to be having an outdoor celebration of his life at a later date.

He is survived by his wife of over 47 years Gwen; children:  Chuck “Yancey” Smith (Jennifer), Matthew Smith (Chloe), and Dallas (Chyenne) Smith; grandchildren:  Kaitlynn (Zach), Jacob, Andrew, Alyssa, Tessa, and Gibson Smith.

Charlie was born on May 20, 1945 in Martinsville, Virginia.  He was a Combat Medic in the U.S. Army, stationed in Vietnam, flying in choppers to pickup and assist fellow soldiers.  In ‘Nam he was called ‘Doc’. On his days off he would strap himself to the sides of the choppers and worked as a machine gunner.  Coming back to state-side, he was expected to be “normal” which at the time was not to be with many of our vets.  His mountain-mama in Virginia always said that her son went to Vietnam and “never came home”.

Music was his escape and he played with many different bands in clubs from Virginia down to Georgia. He could play any instrument placed in his hands and sing like Waylon and Willie.  He first moved to Iowa in 1974 and played with the best of the best of musicians in the Cedar Rapids area, and he did like cold beer and a shot, or two, of whiskey.

Charlie loved trains; he spent many hours chasing down trains in Virginia and in Iowa with his boys and his grandchildren.  He was very creative with detailed attention to his model trains.  Besides loving his family, he loved his cats and he loved his mama’s bisquits, gravy, “fat-back”, eggs over easy and buttermilk.  He was baptized at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Martinsville, VA.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to the American Stroke Association.

A special thank you to the Iowa City VA Hospital with Dr. Greg Kirkpatrick and to Compassus with their excellent hospice care team.
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