Charles “Chuck” Smith is a 1948 Stivers graduate who played varsity tennis in his junior and senior years. His induction into the Stivers Athletic Hall of Fame as an honorary member is more than his success as an athlete. Chuck has given much to his school, his church, his community and his country in more than 65 years of personal volunteer service.
Chuck worked at Sears Roebuck & Co. following Stivers and spent 45 years rising to staff manager overseeing 13 divisions in the company. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951 and served with the 101st Infantry Division in the U.S. and the Panama Canal Zone. It should be noted that while on leave before his overseas assignment, Chuck and Bettyanne Johnson (Stivers Class of 1951) were married and later had four sons.
Chuck’s volunteer work began at Stivers where he built speaker boxes for the auditorium and served as an usher of the 1947 graduation. He later served in the Boy Scouts as a cub master, scout master and as an explorer advisor. His four sons Gary, Rick, Chris and Patrick earned their Eagle Scout during his 26 years as a scout volunteer.
From 1965 to 1970, Chuck taught archaeology techniques to high school scouts at an Indian site south of Dayton and along the Miami River on River Road. It was on September 28, 1968, that Chuck and his son Gary found post molds and through excavation discovered an Indian house. This site became Sun Watch Indian Village and is now an important element of the Dayton Society of Natural History. Chuck published his book, First House at Incinerator Village Site, which documents this discovery through detailed writings and artifacts. Chuck continues to volunteer at Sun Watch as a tour guide and interpreter for various school groups. Chuck is also a volunteer with the Flight of Honor program which provide military veterans an opportunity to visit the World War II memorial in Washington D.C.
Chuck and Bettyanne lived in Palm Bay Florida for 14 years where he volunteered at Hospice and the Senior Citizens Center. They currently reside in the Dayton area and enjoy the fellowship of their 4 sons, 16 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.