Charles Smelker

Charles Smelker, 81, passed away peacefully, Monday, January 13, 2025, in his home in Ruidoso where he has lived for the past 28 years. His story starts on September 25, 1943, on the plains of eastern Colorado. He grew up on the family homestead outside of Stratton Colorado with his 4 brothers and sisters and many cousins and kin. Charles left the family farm to go to school at Colorado State University in Pueblo and received his degree in accounting. Upon graduation he felt the duty to serve his country and joined the U.S. Army where he served as helicopter pilot and rose to the rank of Captain. Before leaving to fight in Vietnam he left behind his first wife, Gloria, and his newly born daughter, Anne.

He became a highly decorated war hero, receiving multiple decorations: National Defense Service Medal, Army Aviator badge, Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device, Air Medal, 2 O/S bars, Sharpshooter badge M-16 rifle, Sharpshooter Badge .38 cal pistol, but most of all, he was honored with the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross Award, one of the highest awards in the U.S. Military, for his heroism, courage, and bravery as a pilot, putting his life in extraordinary danger to save the lives of his fellow soldiers and comrades.

After serving in Vietnam, he was honorably discharged and became an investigative accountant in El Paso, TX where his second child was born, Michael. Shortly after, his father was in a critical debilitating accident, and he moved his family back to eastern Colorado to help work on the family farm. His third and final child, Tom, was born.

After working the family farm for 8 years, he bought a farm outside of Columbus New Mexico to venture into becoming a cotton farmer. Here he raised his three children, continuing to cultivate farming values of hard work, family, living off the land, sustainability, and being a positive contributor to the community. Due to the farming crisis of the eighties, he left the farm and went back into accounting. He moved to El Paso, Texas where he became a site manager for H&R Block with Marilyn Grube.

In his spirit of taking on challenges and entrepreneurship, he and his wife Marilyn embarked on a new adventure owning and running a H&R Block in Ruidoso and Portales. He prepared taxes for 26 years until they retired in 2014. His favorite hobby was restoring antique tractors and competing in tractor pulls where he took home multiple trophies. His pride and joy was his 1939 General which he pulled and traveled with over many miles to eastern Colorado to join his brother-in-law in their tractor adventures.

In the Ruidoso community he really loved the people, the mountains, the weather, and the village atmosphere. Charlie really loved the wildlife; especially the elk and deer who roamed outside his home. He spent every day greeting and viewing them from his window, which brought him great joy. He always called Ruidoso his home and he knew this was where he was destined to be.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents Ivan and Wilma Smelker, brother Gerald and sisters Gladys and Dolores. Charles is survived by his brother, Doyle Smelker, and his children and their families: Anne (Ben) Barbier, Michael (Tammy) Smelker and Thomas (Michele) Smelker; 8 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren with another on the way. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren became the focus and center of his life bringing him great joy and pride in becoming Papa Charlie.

Services will begin with a viewing from 4 - 6 on Monday, January 20. The memorial service will be held Tuesday, January 21, at 11:00 am. Both services will take place at LaGrone Funeral Chapel of Ruidoso. Following the service, he will be laid to rest with a military honor guard ceremony at Fort Stanton Veterans Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in honor of Charlie Smelker to the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, or Meals on Wheels of Ruidoso.

If you wish to send memorial trees or flowers to the family in memory of Charles Smelker, please visit this flower store.