Pittsfield’s 29th mayor and the man who led the city for much of the 1980s has died.Charles Smith was city council president before serving eight years as Pittsfield’s mayor. The 82-year-old died Sunday. Current Mayor Linda Tyer offered condolences to Smith’s family Monday.
“Every mayor leaves behind important legacies and he’s no different,” Tyer said Monday afternoon. “We are sad to know of his passing and certainly thankful for his contributions.”
A 1987 New York Times article detailed how Smith, a Marine veteran, and his wife cared for 70 children as foster parents and guardians in addition to raising six kids of their own.