Charles David "Chuck" Smith

1946 - 2022

The Reverend Doctor Charles David Smith ("Chuck"). June 3, 1946 - July 16, 2022. A memorial celebration for the Reverend Doctor Charles David Smith, 76, will begin at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, July 30, 2022 at the home of Pam and Rivers Breedlove, 216 Rolling Meadow Lane, Bossier City, LA. Rev. Dr. Smith died Saturday, July 16, 2022 of complications from a ruptured appendix following a six year battle with Alzheimer's Disease. He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Collins Smith, Ph.D; his father Allen Joseph Smith, Sr.; his mother Ruth Graham Smith; and his brother, Thomas Christian. He is survived by his three daughters Pamela (and Rivers) Breedlove, Dawn (and Curtis) Chism, and Dianne (and Matt) Prothro; brothers A.J. (and Barbara) Smith and Robert (and Phyllis) Smith; grandchildren Angela Pollard, Stefani (and Justice) Connery, Ashleigh (and Eric) Von Einem, Conner (and Carolina) Tynes, and Mary-Michelle (and Seth Steele) Buckman; and a host of great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends. Although he was born in Arkansas, Rev. Dr. Smith was a true native of Lafayette, Louisiana where his parents taught him to respect all people, work hard at everything he did, and cherish his Cajun heritage. He graduated from Lafayette High School in 1964 and spent the next two decades working and raising a family. While serving as an elder at Faith Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Metairie, he decided to return to school and complete his religious education. He earned a Bachelors of Science in Philosophy from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1987. He was ordained as a Cumberland Presbyterian Minister in October, 1990. He earned a Masters in Divinity in May 1991 and a Doctor of Ministry in 1999 from Memphis Theological Seminary of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He served as a pastor of several Presbyterian churches in Louisiana and Mississippi. He was a Chaplain for 1 year in the Pastoral Care Unit of Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge. He also served as a Chaplain at Angola State Prison and Feliciana Forensic Facility. Rev. Dr. Smith spent his life trying to help others and leave this world a better place. In the 1960s, he marched in favor of civil rights for all people. As a minister, he helped those who freely attended the churches he served, people confined for the mistakes they made, and people with mental illness who were hospitalized either voluntarily or committed by the state as he believed it was his duty to help all people. He encouraged his children to continue their educations beyond high school by example as well as with words. Rev. Dr. Smith loved to learn. As a child, he enjoyed reading encyclopedias and he continued to love history and learning throughout his life which resulted in him winning most Trivial Pursuit games even when it was him versus the whole family. His pastimes included reading military history books, flying and building model airplanes (primarily military planes), metal detecting for civil war bullets and relics, and serving as a Chaplain in a re-enactment unit all of which were continued education disguised as fun. He was a huge fan of the original Star Wars and Top Gun movies and the tv series M*A*S*H, NCIS, and Law & Order. He loved spending time with family and friends. He loved to laugh - particularly at the Cajun humor of his brother A.J. Despite his birthplace, he was an LSU fan. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Alzheimer's Association, American Brain Foundation, or the charitable foundation of the donor's choice.