Charlotte Smith Obituary

Charlotte Charlottesville - Lowndes Smith Charlotte Lowndes Smith (née Taylor) of Charlottesville, Virginia passed away on March 20, 2024.

She was born in Mount Pleasant, S.C., in 1948 to the late Francis Bergh Taylor and Susanne Lowndes Taylor.

She is survived by her husband of 50 years David Buck Smith and her children: Beau Dream and his wife Anarka Fairchild, Anna MacLachlan and her husband Frederic Mohier, David Latham Smith and his wife Jessica, and Stephen Gaillard Smith. She is also survived by her grandchildren Arlen, Max, and Theo; by siblings Arthur Manigault Taylor, Susan Gaillard Taylor Hemminger, and Francis Bergh Taylor; and her friends Mariha and Jessie at Martha Jefferson House, where she spent her last years. She would want the staff and residents at Martha Jefferson House to be assured of her appreciation of their kind attention to her diverse needs and interests.

Charlotte grew up in Mount Pleasant, S.C., while the town was a tight-knit small community before transition from the simplicity of '50s lifestyle to the emergence of tourist interest in Charleston and the Low Country. After attending Mount Pleasant schools, she obtained a BA from University of South Carolina, with participation in Sweet Briar College's junior year abroad in Paris. After graduation she returned to Paris and worked as a secretary for two years, and sang in choir at American Cathedral. Her exposure to France in general and Paris in particular shaped her interests for life.

Before children she obtained an MA from University of Washington, Seattle. Her thesis on Romanesque sculpture was reinforced by visits to churches, small and large, all over France.

Charlotte home-schooled the four children: an endeavor that included foreign language, violin and piano training, classical music appreciation, and travel in France.

Besides listening to classical music, Charlotte enjoyed reading 17th and 18th century French literature.

The service and burial will be held September 7, 2024 at Christ Episcopal Church in Mt. Pleasant, SC at 11:00 am, 2304 North Highway 17, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466.