Chuck Smith was born September 13, 1928, in Lulin, Texas, and lived in Texas until 1946. His father worked in the oil fields in Texas. Living in Price, Texas, with his family, Smith became ill with what was thought to be Hodgkins’ Disease, but after a year and medical testing, it was determined to be “rabbit fever.”
After living in various Texas communities until 1946, Smith joined the U.S. Air Force when he finished high school. He was stationed in Adak, Alaska, April 1, 1947, as a medical corpsman. Serving three years in the Air Force, he was discharged from the service and moved to Anchorage, Alaska where his parents lived.
In 1950, Smith went to work for the Alaska Railroad, and earlier had served as co-manager of the Fourth Avenue Theater in Anchorage, Alaska. He also worked for British Petroleum on Alaska’s North Slope. Smith and his wife homesteaded in Alaska. He also spent some time with wolves in the wild.
Upon his retirement from Alaska Railroad in 1979, he moved to the Vancouver, Washington area and settled in La Center, Washington where he was Mayor in 1997.
La Center Historical Museum 
Chuck Smith was born September 13, 1928, in Lulin, Texas, and lived in Texas until 1946. His father worked in the oil fields in Texas. Living in Price, Texas, with his family, Smith became ill with what was thought to be Hodgkins’ Disease, but after a year and medical testing, it was determined to be “rabbit fever.”
After living in various Texas communities until 1946, Smith joined the U.S. Air Force when he finished high school. He was stationed in Adak, Alaska, April 1, 1947, as a medical corpsman. Serving three years in the Air Force, he was discharged from the service and moved to Anchorage, Alaska where his parents lived.
In 1950, Smith went to work for the Alaska Railroad, and earlier had served as co-manager of the Fourth Avenue Theater in Anchorage, Alaska. He also worked for British Petroleum on Alaska’s North Slope. Smith and his wife homesteaded in Alaska. He also spent some time with wolves in the wild.
Upon his retirement from Alaska Railroad in 1979, he moved to the Vancouver, Washington area and settled in La Center, Washington where he was Mayor in 1997.
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