Yvonne “Vonnie” “Nonnie” Charles Smith, 69

April 25, 2022

Yvonne “Vonnie” “Nonnie” Charles Smith, 69, of Lancaster, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family, on March 25, 2022, after a battle with cancer. She will be remembered as a kind, selfless, caring, patient, giving, and loving person; a great teacher, the best wife, the best mother to 3 boys, and the best Nonnie (grandmother) to 6 grandchildren that anyone could have wished to meet.

She was kind and friendly to every person she encountered. She hoped and prayed for love, peace, and kindness to dominate the world. She believed a smile could change anything. Her smile would light up any room and affected many people in extremely positive ways.

Vonnie attended Penn Manor High School (1970) and graduated from Shippensburg University with a BS in Elementary Education (1974). She married Wayne “Smitty” S. Smith on June 21st, 1975, and went on to be a 2nd grade teacher at Akron Elementary for 8 years. She took time to raise her 3 boys, Wayne “Scott,” Joshua, and Michael, before returning to work as a substitute teacher in the Penn Manor schools. She ultimately teamed up with her husband in the late 1990’s, to help manage his real estate business, Smith Appraisal Services, through her final days.

She enjoyed going wherever her children or grandchildren went and she was eager to care for them whenever possible. She enjoyed teaching her kids and grandkids not only about common knowledge but important life lessons too. She loved to provide them with produce from her garden, attend sports games, bake with them, and play games with them. When her kids and grandkids were happy, so was she. Time with family was sacred to Vonnie.

Out of love, she took a genuine interest in whatever her sons or grandchildren were up to. Anything from the music they listened to, to the sport they were playing, to the people they invited into their lives. She always praised them for all their achievements and made it a point to do whatever she could to lift their spirits whenever they ran into any troubles, disappointments, or failures.

She loved to plan vacations so she could spend more time with her family. Christmas was her favorite holiday, and she would devote many weeks trying to make everything as perfect and enjoyable as possible for her 3 sons and 6 grandchildren.

Yvonne has left a lasting legacy for generations to come. She will be remembered and dearly missed by many people, but especially by her husband, Wayne “Smitty” Smith; her children, Wayne “Scott” Smith, Jr. (Marcy), Joshua Smith (Jessica), and Michael Smith (Emily); her 6 grandchildren, Paityn (14), Brinley (10), Nolan (9), Maelyn (7), Cambrie (5), and Dawson (3); as well as her younger brother, Thomas H Charles. Yvonne was preceded in death by her father, Warren H Charles, Sr, mother, Gladys N Charles, and older brother, Warren “Warrenie” H Charles, Jr.

The memorial service will be held at Manor Church, 530 Central Manor Rd, Lancaster, PA on Saturday, April 9, 2022 at 5:30 pm. Visitation will be 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. Beginning at 5:15, the service will be livestreamed at: https://control.resi.io/webplayer/video.html?id=e67fab3d-5ad9-448f-bc39-7cca381b2e7c. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory for her grandchildren’s education payable to: “Yvonne Smith Memorial Education Fund,” c/o Members 1st, 377 Comet Dr, Millersville, PA 17551.