Charles Frank Nemec Sr. passed away peacefully on December 13, 2017, at age 96 at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena.
Charles (Chuck) was born August 9, 1921, on the family homestead north of Roundup, Montana, to Joseph Francis and Francis (Faik) Nemec. In 1923, Chuck moved with the family to Lewistown, Montana, where he grew up on the family farm on Timber Hill. He attended grade school at the Lower Cottonwood School and attended two years of High School at Fergus County High School in Lewistown, Montana. At age 17, a Junior in high school, Chuck enlisted in the Montana National Guard, Company K,163rd Infantry Regiment in 1938. The unit was sent to New Guinea where he served in several military campaigns and was wounded in combat. Because of his wounds, he was discharged from the military in April 1944. Chuck attended college on the GI Bill and graduated with a masters’ degree in U.S. History from the University of Montana in Missoula. After graduation, he taught school at Lemhi County High School in Salmon, Idaho. It was while teaching in Salmon where he met Donna Schofield. Chuck and Donna were married March 6, 1949, and together they had three sons. Chuck was a high school teacher and they moved frequently in the early years of his career. The family lived in Salmon, Idaho; Missoula, Montana, Lovelock, Nevada and Fairfield, Montana before settling in Livingston, Montana, where he taught for the next 27 years before retiring from Park Senior High School.
Chuck was preceded in death by Donna, his wife of 67 years on July 3, 2017; his parents, Joseph and Francis Nemec; brothers Frank Nemec and Victor Nemec; sisters Sylvia Grube, Francis McKinlay, Bessie Naessig, Helen Nemec, and brothers-in-law Albert Grube, Howard McKinlay and Laurence Naessig. Chuck is survived by his brother Joe Nemec of Prescott, Arizona and sister Mary Teresin of Billings; three son; Charles Jr. (Jennie) of Helena; Ronald (Mija) of Miles City and Randy (Susan) of Redwood City, California; his grandson Ian (Christine Dubbs) of Bozeman; and many nieces and nephews.
Chuck enjoyed Grizzly football and basketball, hunting, fishing, hiking and the outdoors. He, also, enjoyed teaching students U.S. History about a country he had defended and was very proud of. Dad is once more enjoying Mom’s company, whom he had missed greatly, as well as hunting, fishing, the outdoors and the farm on Timber Hill.
The family expresses their gratitude to all of the Son Heaven II staff for their kind, devoted, compassionate, loving and tender care of both Chuck and Donna. The family also would like to express their gratitude to St. Peter’s Hospital physicians and staff for their wonderful assistance during the final days of Chuck’s time, Dr. Jennifer Dodge and her staff, Ft Harrison VA medical and nursing staff, and to all of the St. Peter’s Hospital staff and providers who gave both Chuck and Donna such compassionate care over these past years. At Chuck’s request there will be no services. Chuck and Donna’s remains will be interred together at the Veterans’ Cemetery Fort Harrison, Helena.
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Sharon Van Vleet says
I’m so glad that his niece Delores Brown and I, his niece Sharon Van Vleet got to visit him this past June. We had such a great visit and he seemed to have really enjoyed our company. God bless his soul, he had lived a great life and now he is with his beloved wife Aunt Donna. We will miss you dearly Uncle Chuck.
Love Ed and Sharon Van Vleet