Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Charles Smithgall of Lancaster, who passed away in October at the age of 77. Charlie, as he was known to so many, will be greatly missed. He was a husband to Debbie, a father to Allison, a grandfather to two boys, and a friend to all that he met. Charlie graduated from J.P. McCaskey High School in 1963 and later the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, and then he spent the rest of his life working to improve the lives of those in his hometown of Lancaster as operator of his family's pharmacy, which continues to operate on West Lemon Street. Charlie also worked to improve the health of Lancaster city. He served as mayor from 1998 to 2006 and worked tirelessly to revitalize the city. Major developments such as the convention center there and Clipper Magazine Stadium would not have been possible without his leadership. Charlie was also a devoted collector of military equipment, including cannons. If you have watched historical movies such as ``Gettysburg'' or ``Lincoln,'' chances are that you have seen one of Charlie's cannons on the big screen. We will all miss Charlie. While we mourn the loss of our friend, we offer our prayers of comfort to Debbie, Allison, and his entire family. ____________________”