Charlie Smith Obituary (1943 - 2015)

On Wednesday evening, September 9, 2015, Dad rode off into the sunset one last time. Charles Lewis Smith was born on February 22, 1943 to Geneva and Lewis Smith in Browns County, South Dakota. He was the second of three children and grew up in Baker, Oregon where the family ranched and traded horses. When he was 17 he met the love of his life, Sarah Jane Donaldson at a horse sale in Toppenish, Washington. After their wedding in 1962 they began their marriage in Seattle, Washington. They proceeded to move 13 times in the first year. The first of their 4 children and only son, Joe, was born in Alturas, California in 1963. Throughout the next 12 years they added three daughters; Margaret, Samantha, and Mary. In 1967 Charlie and Sarah Jane moved to the Becker Ranch in Malheur County where they ranched for four years before returning to the Walla Walla Valley and going into the feedlot business. The family later moved to Clarkston, Washington in the fall 1977 and ran a cattle trucking company, Mountain States Transportation. In 1983 Charlie returned to the career he loved the most, ranching. He moved to Galconda, Nevada where he worked for Ellison Ranching Company for eighteen years. While there he made a lot of friends, drank a lot of whiskey, rode a lot of horses, and branded a lot of calves. He then moved to Boardman, Oregon and worked as a feedlot cowboy for Beef Northwest until he retired. Upon his retirement he moved back to the arms of his family in Melba, Idaho, where he spent his later years mastering the craft of leather work and creating works of art. He is survived by Sarah Jane, Joe Smith and Janene Connerly, Chelby Smith, Kooper McMurry and Klaire McMurry, Margaret Reeves, Janey Reeves, Julia Reeves, Samantha and Ty Portenier, Brady Portenier, Paige Portenier, and Jessi Portenier, Mary and Shaun Westrand, Dylan Westrand, Luke Westrand, Emma Westrand, brother Marshall Smith, sister Pat Smith and his loving dog Beetle. He was blessed to have spent the last two months in the company of his brother Marshall Smith and the loving care of his sister Pat Smith. He took great pride in his children and grandchildren's accomplishments. He loved horses and dogs and spent many hours discussing both topics. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, September 14, at Melba Cemetery, Baseline Rd in Melba. Arrangements are under the direction of Zeyer Funeral Chapel, Nampa, ID. 208-467-7300. To read the full obituary and to express condolences please visit zeyerfuneralchapel.com Service: Monday, September 14, 2015 2:00 p.m. Melba Cemetery Baseline Road Melba, Idaho Visitation: Sunday, September 13, 2015 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Zeyer Funeral Chapel 83 N Midland Blvd Nampa, Idaho