Charles Edward Wildsmith

Mr. Charles Wildsmith passed away January 20, 2014 in the Moosehaven Life Care Center at the age of 86. He was born to Charles and Mabel Wildsmith in Riverside, Pennsylvania. He was second to the oldest of three sisters and two brothers. Chuck joined the Merchant Marine sometime in his 12th year of High School. He sailed with the Army Transport Service out of Ft. Mason, San Francisco, CA, as a junior engineer. He was on a ship named the Shawnee and survived a bad fire without injury. After the ship was repaired in dry dock, they sailed to Japan after the war and moved troops all over the Pacific. They brought a lot of troops home and took occupation troops to Japan. They brought the Second Marine Division home from Iwo Jima. After leaving the Merchant Marine, Chuck went home to Danville and married his sweetheart, Florence Beaver, on Christmas Day in 1947. She preceded him in death on May 29, 2009. They had two children, Janet and Charles, Jr. In 1974, Chuck and his family moved to the Ft. Myers, FL area. He went to work for Sun Lines Bus Company. A few years later he opened a diesel repair business. He became affiliated with the Loyal Order of Moose on February 3, 1947 when he joined the Danville, Pennsylvania Lodge #1133. He came to Moosehaven with his wife Florence on October 5, 2004 where he resided for 9 years. He is survived by his daughter, Janet (Rodney) Ward and grandsons, Patrick and Ben, son, Charles (Patti) Wildsmith, Jr. and granddaughter Emily, sisters, Lois Ruch and Patricia Corrigan and brother, Joseph Wildsmith. Please sign the family’s online guestbook at www.broadusraines.com. Arrangements are under the care of Broadus-Raines Funeral Home, 501 Spring St., Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 (904) 284-4000.