Charles Conard Smith

Charles Conard “Con” Smith, 89, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, passed away peacefully at home on June 21, 2025.

Born on February 10, 1936, in Mexico, Missouri, Con was the son of Charles Adelbert Smith and Waldine (Barnes) Smith. He married Constance Nagel in Mexico, Missouri, and together they shared 62 years of marriage.

Con graduated from Iowa State University in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in Ceramic Engineering, where he also took first prize in the Veisha Parade float competition. He later earned his MBA from Stanford University in 1962.

He served as a Lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve from 1958 to 1960. Con began a distinguished career in the refractory industry. He worked with Kaiser Refractories, a division of Kaiser Aluminum, in Moss Landing, California; Mexico, Missouri; and Oakland, California, from 1962 to 1969. From 1969 to 1974, he served as Vice President and General Manager of Kaiser Refractories Argentina in Buenos Aires. Returning to California, he held leadership positions at Kaiser Refractories in Oakland until 1985. Lastly, he was CEO of National Refractories and Mineral Corporation in Livermore, CA, from 1985 to 2002.

A dedicated professional, Con was a member and past executive chairman of the Refractories Institute and was listed by Marquis Who’s Who as a notable refractory company executive. He was also an Eagle Scout and a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Con and Conni raised their family in Piedmont, California, where they lived from 1974 to 2007, before moving to Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 2007. He was a member of Grace Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island.

He is survived by his wife, Constance Nagel Smith of Bainbridge Island; his sons, Stewart Ashley Smith of Bainbridge Island and Graham Prior Smith of Waterford, California; and his grandson, Gabriel Anderson Smith of Los Angeles, California. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.