Charles F. Schlueter (Chuck) passed away on September 3, 2013 from lung cancer at the Veterans Hospital in Boise, Idaho. He was their patient with complications from brain and lung tumors for the last seven months of his life.

Chuck was born February 26, 1949 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He was the fifth child of six children born to Carl and Freda Schlueter. When he was two years old, his family moved to Los Angeles, California. They settled in Montebello, a city eight miles east of Los Angeles where he grew up. He was provided with a Christian education attending first through eighth grade at a private Lutheran Parochial school followed by entering the Public School System and graduating from Montebello High School. Later, using the GI Bill, he earned a college degree.

Chuck married Carol Walker and they had one son, Eric. They lived in the Los Angeles suburbs until they moved to Salmon, Idaho in 1980. After 20 years of marriage, they divorced and he never remarried. Chuck also had one daughter, Christine, who was raised by her mother.

Chuck started his work career in his early teens. His dad had a maintenance business that required his help. He continued to “help out” until he became an adult, left home and beyond. For a span of seventeen years, Chuck did office maintenance which became a part-time job supplementing his income.

His second work experience was in the military. Shortly after high school, he was drafted in the Army to serve in the Vietnam War. He became a Specialist Fourth Class, a machine gunner, and was one of the soldiers involved in “Ripcord.” This was the last great battle that lasted four and a half months in the jungled mountains of Vietnam. Chuck was wounded during that battle on July 8, 1970. He was sent home to California to receive treatment and rehab at the Long Beach Naval Hospital. Spending several months there, he earned the rank of sergeant and was discharged with a partial disability and given the Purple Heart.

Next he worked for the City of Los Angeles in the Public Works Department. He quit this job with 8 years service when he moved to Salmon, Idaho. Here he was employed by the State of Idaho in the Transportation Department and retired after 25 years of service.

Chuck’s hobbies included surfing in Southern California, riding and restoring his Harley, being a handyman remodeling and maintaining homes, groundskeeping and woodworking.

Chuck is survived by his son, Eric Schlueter; grandsons, Elias and Owen; daughter and son-in-law, Christine and Cass Thurston; granddaughters, Zoe and Dylan; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Ronald and Ginger Schlueter, Dwain and Kay Schleuter; sister and brother-in-law, Bonnie and Daniel Burt; sister, Betty Fox; former wife, Carol Schlueter and numerous nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Freda Schlueter; brother, Terry Schlueter and brother-in-law, Glenyster Fox.

The family extends their gratitude to the Veterans Affairs here in Salmon and Boise who tracked and treated his health issues for years. The extra-special care from administrators, doctors and nurses alike was greatly needed and appreciated.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, June 20, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at the Sacagawea Center. Following the service there will be a Celebration of Life reception held until 4:00 p.m. at the same location.