Charles Wesley Smith

Charles Wesley “Wes” Smith April 23, 1939 – October 24, 2026

Charles Wesley “Wes” Smith, 87, of Foley, Alabama, died peacefully at home on October 24, 2026.

Wes was born on April 23, 1939, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Helen B. and Arthur W. Smith, and was raised in Goshen, Indiana. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Pulp and Paper Technology from Western Michigan University in 1961. That degree launched a long and remarkably successful career in the paper industry, one that took him and Sandra to more places than most people could find on a map.

In 2002, Wes and Sandra retired to the water in Foley, where the door was always open and the visitors kept coming. He boated the Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, helped friends and neighbors with whatever needed doing, and spent more hours on his tractor than anyone could imagine. Summers belonged to the North Woods of Wisconsin, surrounded by family.

Wes was a straightforward, private man with a fierce work ethic… known for being incredibly authentic with everyone. He was immensely proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and he made sure every one of them understood the value of ethics and integrity, usually in plain words and occasionally more than once. As one grandchild put it, he taught them “how important it is to have discipline, be on time, work hard, be honest, make good decisions, and most importantly be a stand-up person. Those conversations have never left my mind.”

Wes is survived by his wife of 44 years, Sandra; his brother, Doug (Peggy) Smith of White Pigeon, Michigan; his daughter, Lori Smith Horwitz (Mitch) of Chicago, Illinois; his son, Brad Smith (Lisa) of Minocqua, Wisconsin; his grandchildren, Ali (David), Jacob (Amanda), Veta (Mario), Peter (Sophie), Dylan (Tracey), Nathan (Dylan), Shane (Jasmine), Shannon (Jake), Jonathon (Wynter) and Joey (Olivia); and his great-grandchildren, Wesley, Sawyer, Jacob, Loretta, Lily and Violet.

He will be deeply missed and never forgotten.

The family will be hosting a private Celebration of Life at a later date.