Charles "Chuck" Guenther

Mass of Christian Burial for Charles “Chuck” Guenther, age 77, of Battle Creek, Nebraska will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 7, 2024, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Battle Creek. Reverend Pat McLaughlin will be celebrant, with burial in St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery.

Military honors will be provided by American Legion Post 75 and Army National Guard Honor Guard.

Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the church, with a 7:00 p.m. vigil service.

Steffen Mortuary in Battle Creek is in charge of arrangements.

Chuck died Sunday, November 24, 2024, at Avera Creighton Care Centre in Creighton, Nebraska.

Charles “Chuck” James Guenther, son of Francis and Florence (Collen) Guenther, was born on March 23,1947, in Kearney. He graduated from Creighton High School in 1966. Following in his older brother Chip’s footsteps, he joined the army after graduation. Chuck, a retired Specialist 4th Class from the Army, served honorably from 1966-1969.

Chuck was awarded The Purple Heart, The Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM), The Good Conduct Medal (GCMDL), The National Defense Service Medal (NDSM), The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), an SPS M-14 Marksmanship Badge, a Marksmanship Badge for Rifle, and an Army Combat Infantry Badge for his service in Vietnam. He was initially stationed near Nuremburg, Germany for ten months as an artilleryman before deploying to Vietnam in 1968. He served a one-year tour in an area southwest of Saigon, and then at Tay Ninh near the Cambodian border as a telephone maintenance-field wiring specialist. Chuck used his money from the GI Bill to attend a technical college for electrical work and went on to work as a lineman. 

On June 19, 1971, Chuck married Bonnie Swails of Bloomfield at St. Ludger Catholic Church in Creighton. They had one daughter, Angela Guenther, in 1975. He started Chuck’s Electric in Bloomfield, and eventually moved to Battle Creek working for a few places in Norfolk before ending up at Model Electric full time from 1988-1992. He also worked for them part time from 1996-2009.

In 1998, Chuck started teaching Electrical Construction Wiring at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, before retiring permanently on May 25, 2017. He spent his free time making improvements to his home, and spending time with family and friends. 

Chuck passed away on November 24, 2024, at Avera Creighton Care Center where he had been recovering from pneumonia.

He is survived by his daughter, Angela Mackichan (Guenther) and her husband John of Lincoln; grandson, Joseph Guenther of Lincoln; sisters, Joan Waldow (Dan) of Creighton, Janet Jarosh (John) of Beatrice, Sally Prescott of Lawrence, KS, and Susie Guenther of Lawrence, KS; and several nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Florence Guenther; brother, Francis “Chip” Guenther and his wife, Elaine (Melcher) Guenther; and nephew, Eric Waldow. 

Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.homeforfuneralsinc.com. 

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