Old Town, Maine - Dr. Charles William Smith Jr., 83, peacefully passed away on January 26, 2024, at home with his wife as he wished. Charles "Skip" Smith was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, the son of Charles W. Smith Sr. and Betty Kearns Smith, spending his childhood in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and graduating from Sharon High School in 1958. He was active in Scouting and in bands through high school. He then attended Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania where he met his future wife, Carolyn I. Dobak. He graduated in 1962 with a bachelor's degree in Physics and received his PhD in Experimental Physics, specializing in Condensed Matter Physics, from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio in 1968.

In the fall of 1968, Skip and his family moved to Old Town, Maine, where he began his career as an Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Maine. He was a gifted teacher, able to explain difficult concepts in terms students could understand, interspersing his explanations with humorous examples. He meticulously prepared for his lectures and demonstrations. This careful process often cited, "measure twice; cut once," was reflected in every aspect of his life. In 2009, he retired from the Department of Physics and Astronomy as an Emeritus Professor of Physics and Cooperating Emeritus Professor of Engineering having taught generations of Physics and Engineering Physics students, mentored sixteen graduate students and served as chair for six years. Simultaneously, he continued his research in low temperature physics, publishing more than 70 papers.

Two sabbatical leaves gave him the opportunity to expand his areas of research. A year at the Thomas J. Watson IBM Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY, also provided his young family new experiences including life on a lake. In 1993, Skip and Carolyn spent a year in Oxford, England, while he worked with a colleague and became affiliated with Wolfson College as a Scholar. They also fit in a memorable tour of Egypt and the Valley of the Kings. During his tenure at the university he received the Excellence in Teaching Award in the Physical Sciences, selection as a Distinguished Maine Professor, Francis Crowe Society membership, twice given the College of Engineering Dean's Award for Excellence, and the James and Maureen Emeriti Faculty Award. He was a member of the American Physical Society, the Association of Physics Teachers and Sigma Xi.

Skip loved Maine with its four seasons and his home on the Stillwater River. Summers were spent with the family visiting the shore and canoeing, tending the vegetable garden, relaxing on the back porch overlooking the Stillwater River (which he called his therapy sessions), or "in the lab" at Bennett Hall doing collaborative research with a visiting physicist. There were frequent family trips to visit grandparents in New York City and Sharon, PA. Snowier winter times were spent sledding, cross country skiing and one winter, building a memorable snow dinosaur for his children to climb on. He drove miles of Maine's back roads with his family searching for furnishings for their home as well as additions to Skip's current collection interest. Picnics at parks were always a part of each adventure.

Skip approached life intellectually, whether it was laying out the vegetable garden in measured quadrants with each plant carefully spaced, installing an English style rose garden in the adjacent carriage house foundation, or landscaping the yard with traditional perennials. He designed and drew scale plans for a river-facing addition to our home which was completed in 1994, enabling us to enjoy rivet views in all seasons. He was a voracious reader of British mysteries and non-fiction books relating to his eclectic areas of interest and hobbies. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Craig Brook Fish Hatchery, a member of the American Numismatic Association, the Colonial Coin Collectors Club and the Pine Tree Coin Club.

Survivors include, Carolyn, his wife of nearly 60 years; his daughter, Wendy Smith MD of Scarborough, Maine; his son, Jeff Smith PhD and his wife, Clover Bachman, of Duvall, Washington; and several cousins. He was predeceased by his parents.

A memorial service will be held at a later time. Contributions may be made in his memory to the Old Town Public Library, 46 Middle Street, Old Town ME 04468, the Animal Orphanage, 71 Airport Rd., Old Town, ME 04468, or the University of Maine Foundation, 2 Alumni Place, Orono, ME 04469, for scholarships to graduate students in Physics and Engineering Physics or visit our.umaine.edu/drsmith.