Charles Wayne Smith

Charles Wayne Smith left this life May 6, 2026. He slipped quietly away while sleeping at his home in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He was eighty-five. Charles was born August 19,1940 in Wilsonville, Alabama; but spent his childhood days in Irondale, Alabama where his father worked for the railroad.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Augustine Smith and Leda Davis Smith; his brother, James Edgar Smith; his sister-in-law, Betty Jean Harrison Smith; and his nephew, Roger Smith of Thomasville, Alabama.

Charles graduated Shades Valley High School in 1958. Due to the untimely death of his father, he remained home two years before entering Clark College in Newton, Mississippi. He earned an Associates of Arts degree from Clark, then in 1963 a Bachelor of Arts degree from William Carey College. Following Carey, he entered graduate school at the University of Southern Mississippi. He was awarded a Master’s Degree in History in 1967 and a PhD in History in 1970. His major field of study was Modern Europe with an emphasis in Germany and Russia. Dr. Terry Harper served as his thesis advisor. While at Southern, Charles served as graduate assistant to Dean Claude Fike. In September 1970, Charles began teaching at Cameron College in Lawton, Oklahoma as a professor of history. He remained at Cameron for thirty years filling various academic and administrative positions. He served as Chairman for the Humanities, Special Assistance to the President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Academic affairs, and Chairman of the Department of Social Studies. While Vice President under the visionary leadership of President Don C. Davis, Dr. Smith, guided Cameron, a four year Bachelor’s degree granting college, to become Cameron University offering advanced degrees in multiple fields of academic study. Many thanks were due to Dr. Ralph Blodgett whose tireless work secured necessary accreditation requirements for university status. Charles’ passion and talent was teaching, but he used his prodigious management skills to improve lives in his community and state. Early in his career, Dr. Smith was chosen The Jaycees’ Out Standing Young Man of the Year for Lawton, Oklahoma. Outstanding remained the hallmark of his varied professional and public activities. He served two terms on the Lawton City Counsel and was active in local and state political affairs, a Vestry member and Sunday School Director for St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, a member of the Oklahoma Humanities Counsel, served on The Salvation Army Advisory Board, and as the Academic Humanist and a career supporter of the Cameron Campus Ministry and the Reverend Phil Jones. He supported the Mattie Beale Restoration Project and initiated the Lawton Public Library Chautauqua Project. His thirty years in Oklahoma was time well spent. He moved to Ocean Springs in 2000 and enjoyed retirement there and at River Ridge Camp in Wayne County Ms.

Charles is survived by his wife, Cecil George Brown Smith; his daughter, Katherine Alta Smith Mereo; son-in-law, Russell David Mereo; his son, Trevor Augustine Smith; daughter-in-law, Lenore Reda Smith, and five grandchildren, Christopher Barkley Mereo, Olivia Grace Mereo, Ethan Davis Mereo, Charles Andrew Smith, and Claudia Renee Smith. Charles also leaves his nephew, Dewayne Smith; his niece, Jeanine Smith Noble; and Godsons, Joe Gregory Ford, Jr. and David Pollina Ford.

Services will be Saturday, May 23, 2026, at St John’s Episcopal Church, Ocean Springs, Ms. Visitation will begin at 1 P.M. followed by the funeral at 2 P.M.

Memorial offerings may be made to the St. John’s Endowment Fund, 705 Rayburn Avenue, Ocean Springs, MS, 39564, Pleasant Grove Cemetery Association, ℅ Pleasant Grove Church, P.O. Box 302 Waynesboro, Ms 39367, or The Cameron University Foundation, Cameron University, 2800 Gore Blvd, Lawton, Ok 39505.

Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home prepared Charles Smith’s earthly remains for their final journey. They have done so with kindness and grace.

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Charles Wayne Smith.