Charles J. Smith's Obituary
Charles J. ?Chuck? Smith
Services for Charles J. ?Chuck? Smith, 82 of Longview, will be held at Noon Wednesday, October 1, 2003 in the Chapel of Rader Funeral Home of Longview, with the Reverend Bill Cunningham officiating. Private family burial will be held in a Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. Mr. Smith passed away on Sunday morning, September 28, 2003 in a Longview nursing facility.
He was born September 17, 1921 to John and Etta Zagorski in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. He joined the air force in 1942 and being a career officer he continued to serve his country after World War II, flying 57 combat missions in Korea. During his career, he received 12 awards, including the D.F.C. and Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters.
After returning from Korea, he married Nez Smith in the Chapel at Langley AFB, Virginia in October 1951.
On June 30, 1963, Maj. Smith retired from the Air Force at McClellan AFB in Sacramento, California and started a second career as a realtor. He has been a resident of Longview since 1989. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Longview Elks Lodge #1128, American Legion 140 and VFW #4002.
He was preceded in death by his father, John Zagorski; mother and step father, Etta and Herbert Smith; and his beloved aunt, Anne Long. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Nez Smith of Longview, one daughter and son-in-law, Maura and Bill Sellers of Lake Charles, LA; grandson, Josh Sellers and his wife Vicki of Dallas; granddaughter, Leia Sellers of Dallas; brother, Edward Smith and his wife Juanita of MS; sisters-in-law, Ileene Kehn of AZ, and Elsie Warren of Mt. Pleasant; brothers-in-law, Malcolm Warren of Mt. Pleasant and Aubrey Warren of El Paso; several cousins including John Zagorski of Lititz, Pa.
Memorials may be made to the ?Jim Kendrick Scholarship Fund? at Elks Lodge #1128, PO Box 123, Longview, Texas, 75606 or to the First United Methodist Church, 400 North Fredonia St. Longview, Texas 75601.
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