Charles Edward Smith

In Loving Memory of Charles "Chuck" Smith
5/22/62 - 11/30/18
Chuck lived his 56 years with a love for family, friends and travel.
Chuck was born in Jacksonville, FL, the son of a Navy man and to parents originally from Bremen, GA. He grew up in San Jose, California before moving to Marietta, Georgia in the early 1980's after serving in the US Army, stationed in Korea.
He married his wife, Rhonda, in 1993 and they welcomed their wonderful son, Ryan, in 1995. His wife and son were his highest priority and he loved them very much!
He received his A and P License at Atlanta Area Tech and worked in the Aviation Industry most of his career as an aircraft mechanic and aircraft inspector in several states with major companies in GA, TN, LA and NC, and in the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan, as a Department of Defense contractor to help assure we are safe and free. A few years were dedicated to auto sales enjoying his passion for cars but also making lifelong friends in the industry.
He traveled the United States, Canada and the World making friends everywhere he went sometimes on vacation with his family and to see friends with favorite trips being to Australia, Maui, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Virginia Beach, Pensacola Beach and Japan. Sometimes his travel was on a quest to collect another commemorative coke bottle with favorite places for that being to New York, Canada, Vietnam and Cuba. He also traveled to purchase that perfect car he wanted in another state or country, like Connecticut, Arizona and Japan. The world was meant to be explored and enjoyed to him and unfortunately with his life cut short at 56 years old, other places and adventures remained on his bucket list - New Zealand to Bungy Jump and China to walk on the Great Wall to name a few.
When he wasn't spending time with family, traveling the world or working, he loved to work in the yard, go to Friday night football games, grill out or go to lunch or dinner with family and friends.
As he saw his 5 year battle with Lymphoma, including 2 years in remission, making his life very difficult and coming to an end, he said: "I am very grateful for the amazing family, friends and adventures I have been blessed to have but it's God's plan for me to go now and be reunited in heaven with my Mom, Dad, Brother and Mother-in-Law, along with all the other special people that I have known that went before me. I wouldn't have chosen to go so soon but know the pain and struggle will be over there!"
His wife, son, father-in-law, sister-in-law, her husband and 2 daughters and many others will love him forever and cherish the times with him within their hearts. If you wish, in lieu of flowers, please donate to one of the following in the memory of Chuck: Emory Winship Cancer Institute at WinshipCancer.Emory.Edu OR to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at Donate.lls.org