Dr. Charles Smith

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Dr. Charles "Chuck" Warren Smith, 82, passed away Monday, June 10, 2019, in Bowling Green.

He was born Sept. 5, 1936, in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, the son of Stanley Aquila and Luella Mae Ziegenfus Smith.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Janet Lucille Bass; two sisters, Mary Lou (Ray) Parsons of Loveland, Colorado, and Leah (the late George) Micklatcher of Sun City Center, Florida; three sons, Randall A. (Jo) Smith of Kirksville, Missouri, Bradley T. Smith (Kimberly Davis) of Cape Girardeau and Bryan K. (Roxanne) Smith of Bloomington, Indiana; seven grandchildren, Justin Smith, Jennifer Smith (John) Thorne, Timothy Smith, Trevor Smith, Morgan Smith, Lillian Smith and Katherine Smith; and a great-grandchild, Carley Hill-Smith.

He was preceded in death by his parents and son, Roger A. Smith of Jackson.

Charles received his education at the University of Wyoming in Laramie (bachelor's degree in music, flute and composition), New York University in New York City (Master of Arts in music composition) and Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee (Doctor of Musical Arts in flute). He also studied flute and composition at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

From 1958 until 1969, he taught music in public schools in Fromberg and Red Lodge, Montana; Verona, New Jersey; and Rochester. From 1969 until 2002, he was a professor of music at James Madison University, Wake Forest University, Southeast Missouri State University and Western Kentucky University. After teaching at Western Kentucky University from 1989 to 2002, Charles was awarded status as professor of music emeritus. He retired in 2002 after a 44-year teaching career. During the 1980s, he was the music and choir director at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. In addition, he taught flute in his home studio.

Charles started composing when he was 10 years old and was a published author and composer. A member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), he received numerous ASCAP Plus Awards. His compositions have been published by Southern Music Co., Brodt, Pro Art, Barnhouse, Dorn and Broadman Press. He also produced important historical editions, including several first editions of 17th and 18th century wind music, all published by Musica Rara (France). His compositions have been and are still being performed throughout the United States and Europe. He was a founding member of Orchestra Kentucky, the professional orchestra in Bowling Green, where he was principal flutist and held the title composer in residence for several years.

Throughout his career he was principal flutist in several bands and orchestras, conducted off-Broadway musicals and toured Europe as a flute soloist, performing collaborative recitals with his wife and a concerto with an orchestra in St. Petersburg, Russia. As a music educator he conducted numerous district and state high school honor bands in Virginia, North Carolina and Missouri.

Charles received many honors and awards including: Prize of the American Guild of Musical Artists; Prize Winner of the Institute for Studies in American Music; Kentucky Music Teachers Association Composer of the Year; Master Teacher certificates in Music Theory, Composition and Woodwinds from the Music Teachers National Association; Western Kentucky University Award for Outstanding Research and Creativity; the Cupola Society award; and the Lifetime Achievement Award in Arts and Humanities from Orchestra Kentucky. In 2016, the Delta Omicron Professional Music Fraternity at Western Kentucky University established the Charles W. Smith Scholarship Fund. For many years he was a member of the Bowling Green Noon Rotary Club and was recently awarded honorary membership status. He was also a member of Phi Kappa Phi, an honorary music society.

Charles enjoyed spending time with his family, students and friends. His hobbies included playing cribbage and chess and fishing, especially fly fishing for trout in the streams of Pennsylvania and Wyoming. He also enjoyed creating special items for his grandchildren in his woodworking shop. His love of cooking Pennsylvania Dutch rye bread, scrapple and shoofly pie brought much joy to family and friends.

Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Chapel, Inc., 820 Lovers Lane in Bowling Green. A celebration of life will immediately follow the visitation.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Charles Smith Music Scholarship Fund within the WKU College Heights Foundation (www.wku.edu/makeagift, select "scholarships"); or to Orchestra Kentucky of Bowling Green at www.orchestrakentucky.com.