Charlee Smith

Charlee Jane Smith, an 85-year-old resident of Manhattan, passed away on Sunday, September 6, 2026.

Born on July 20, 1941, in Waterville, Kansas, Charlee was the youngest of four children born to Charles and Ruth (Roote) Copeland. She spent her formative years on the family dairy farm in Waterville, run by her parents, siblings, aunts, and a grandmother. Charlee was an active member of the band, 4-H, and pursued her passion for piano. She also loved running the milk route.

Charlee's academic journey led her to earn a bachelor's degree from Emporia State University and a master's degree from Kansas State University. Her career in education spanned fifteen years, during which she served as a student teacher at the Manhattan middle school and later as an English Literature teacher at Manhattan High School. After retiring in 1991, Charlee returned to the classroom and earned a library science degree. She dedicated her career to providing reference services at various institutions, including Friends University Wichita, Lenexa Public Library, Salina Public Library, and Manhattan Public Library.

Charlee was a long-time member of 1st Lutheran Church in Manhattan, where she actively participated in church council and various community service initiatives. She volunteered at The Clothes Closet, baked cookies for Good Shepherd hospice, donated cooked meals to Lutheran Campus Ministries, and contributed treats for the Pumpkin Patch fundraiser.

Charlee was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Grace (Robert) Parker, her sister Lily (Hosea) Harkness, and her brother Edgar (Linda) Copeland.

Charlee is survived by two daughters, Kelly (Troy) Heckart and Kim Wilhoite; four grandchildren, Chris (LaShelle) Heckart, Ernest JR (Kayla) Wilhoite, Shannon Wilhoite, and Nicole (Brandon) Brooks; eleven great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to visit the family from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, September 16th, 2026, at Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home in Riley, Kansas.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, September 17th, 2026, at her childhood church, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, in Waterville, Kansas. Burial will take place in the Riverside Cemetery, Waterville.

In memory of Charlee, a survivor of a seventeen-year abusive marriage, her daughters kindly request that you make a donation to Crisis Center Inc of Riley County in lieu of flowers. Contributions may be left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home, PO Box 176, Riley, Kansas 66531.