Charlotte Mitchell Smith

Charlotte Mitchell Smith passed away suddenly on November 13, 2025. Charlotte was born in Cedar Falls, IA, to John and Eunice (MacInnis) Mitchell on October 12, 1947. She graduated Cedar Falls High School in 1966 and attended Macalester College, St. Paul, MN, where she met Michael Smith in 1967. Charlotte and Mike were married on May 17, 1970.
Charlotte and Mike moved to Durham, NC, where Charlotte earned her JD from Duke University Law School in 1973. They took jobs in Chicago, where Charlotte worked at McDermott Will & Emery, which she left to become Associate General Counsel for FMC. At FMC she assisted the company working with clients around the world, including many early morning, 4;00 a.m., calls with European partners while sitting in her pajamas in her den in Winnetka, before heading downtown to spend a full day at the office. Charlotte was a pioneering woman, excelling in all her endeavors, at a time when women were just making inroads into the corporate world.
Charlotte and Mike adopted Edward Allan (Ted) Smith in August of 1988. Charlotte was devoted to Ted, supporting his schooling, his music, and friends. Charlotte, Mike, and Ted made numerous choir trips to Europe, first to support Ted and then Charlotte was there to listen, and Mike and Ted to sing. Family and family holidays, especially Christmas, were important to Charlotte.
In Chicago, Charlotte was a very active member of the community. She was generous with her time, volunteering as a Trustee and Ruling Elder at Fourth Presbyterian Church, and a board member for both the Women's Fortnightly Club and Women's Athletic Club. On her 55th birthday, Charlotte retired from FMC to explore new paths and enjoy more time with her family. With her newfound freedom she also took up weaving, played flute with the New Horizons Band, and co-founded a book club.
In 2008 Charlotte and Mike bought land just outside of Spring Green, WI. For two years, Charlotte and Mike camped on the land and planned for a shop building for Mike and a new house. The shop building was completed in 2010, and they were able to enjoy the comforts of running water and heat. In 2010 she turned her energy towards designing the house she wanted to live in for the rest of her life. After permanently moving up to Wisconsin in 2013, she supervised the construction of the house. The house was completed in 2015, and she lived in and enjoyed the house for ten years.
Charlotte became a member of the Lions Club, was elected a Supervisor of the Town of Clyde, was a member of the River Valley Community Chorus, and a board member of the Rural Musicians Forum. Even though her Presbyterian roots went back to the reformation, she was active in Christ Lutheran Church, Spring Green, serving as chair of the Matthew 25 Endowment Fund, a member of the quilting group, and a resolute voice on social issues. During the pandemic, she also joined the Arcadia book club.
Charlotte was an avid traveler. She and Mike traveled extensively in North America, Europe, Africa, East Asia, the Mediterranean, the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Peru, and the Amazon. They went on diving trips to the Caribbean, Lake Michigan, and the frigid depths of Lake Superior. Charlotte's proudest travel accomplishment was walking 500 miles in northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago in 2012 and 2013, accompanied for part of the way by her son Ted. Her Camino experiences are the subject of a manuscript (which her family hopes to publish). Charlotte and Ted were steadfast travel companions, teaming up for several adventures as a duo. During COVID, Charlotte became keenly interested in exploring family genealogy, and her research led to trips to Denmark with Mike and to England with Mike and Ted.
Charlotte was passionate about gardening. She converted a plain, grass backyard in Chicago into a vibrant garden. In Wisconsin, she directed the restoration of over 10 acres of prairie and continued to cultivate numerous flowers, shrubs, and herbs, complementing Mike's fruit and vegetable gardens.
Charlotte is survived by her husband of 55 years, Mike, son Ted of Chicago, and brother Tom (Betsy) of Somerset, PA. She was preceded in death by her father and mother.
A funeral service for Charlotte will take place Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 11:00 A.M. at the Christ Lutheran Church, Spring Green, followed by a private burial at Big Hollow Cemetery. Visitation will be held Monday, December 15, 2025 from 4:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. at the Christ Lutheran Church and again on Tuesday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Christ Lutheran Church Matthew 25 Endowment Fund (christlutheransg.org/giving) and Chicago Lights (fourthchurch.org/giving).
Online condolences available at www.staffordfuneralhomes.com The Richardson-Stafford Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.