Charlotte Marie (Smith) Rubendall

Date of Death

Charlotte Marie (Smith) Rubendall died surrounded by her husband (Alan Rubendall) and family on Tuesday the 13th of December in 2022, at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California.
Char, as she was often called, loved her family and friends, travel, crafting, our country, babies, board games,
crocheting, homemade sweets, entertaining, laughing, helping others, dogs, playing cards, celebrating, and so much more.
She was born the oldest of six children in Glendale, California, on October 13, 1940, to loving parents Gerald (Geary) and Doris (Horlock) Smith. Her upbringing in Southern California was filled with extended Smith family gatherings that sometimes numbered over 100 in attendance. There wasn’t a weekend that went by that family members didn’t gather in the Smith household for good food and fellowship. This trait was the foundation of her own family as Char, Alan and their four children hosted numerous parties, weddings and celebrations over the years. Their homes were where all felt welcomed and Char’s friendships were many and strong.
Char spent the first 5 years of her life in Glendale before her family moved to La Cañada Flintridge. She attended Pasadena City College her freshman year before moving on to San Jose State University where she graduated in 1962 with a degree in general education (K-8) with a Credential to Teach Exceptional Children.
She married Alan Rubendall, her junior high school sweetheart, in 1960 and they had their first child in their last year of college. As a teacher on and off over the years, Char spent time leading and loving elementary aged children, running a special needs preschool, and working as a school district speech therapist.
In 1985, Char and Alan left the community of La Cañada Flintridge and moved to Malibu where they both enjoyed real estate careers. Char and Alan were so enthralled with their new occupation that they began an exciting few decades worth of home-improvement projects in several Southern California communities including Malibu, Westlake Village, Palm Springs, San Marcos and Carlsbad. Char and Alan also spent several years living in a beautiful home they built on Big Bear Lake. Worldwide travel was also an important theme in their lives as they adventured together to Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico and more. They also were fortunate to have taken 25 cruises to interesting ports all over the world.
Perhaps of greatest joy to Char was her family. She is survived by her husband, Alan; her brothers Fred (and Susie) Smith, and Charlie (and Joy) Smith, and her sisters Dian (and Bob) Horn and Denise (and Craig) Frye. Her brother, David Smith, pre-deceased her in 1967.
Mama Char will be greatly missed by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Cheryl and Steve Mergenthaler (Jack, Erin, Henry, Perry, Kelly and Tyler); Ken and Jennifer Rubendall (Jake and Tyler); Dan and Sherri Rubendall (Rachel and Ryan); and Tom and Kelly Rubendall (Cody and Mason). She left no doubt that she loved them all, and they all loved her.