Funeral services for Charles Robert "Charlie" Kentch, 80, of Chamberlain, South Dakota will be 1:00 pm Thursday, December 20, 2018 with visitation beginning at 11:00 am at the Hickey Funeral Chapel in Chamberlain with burial in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery at Reliance, South Dakota.

Charlie was born October 30, 1938 to George and Alice (Hodgin) Kentch.  He grew up in Reliance South Dakota and graduated from high school in 1956.  He attended South Dakota School of Mines and University of South Dakota before joining the Air Force in 1957.

Charlie met the love of his life Donna Williams and on December 29, 1958 they were united in marriage at Selfridge Air Force Base in Detroit, Michigan.  During their marriage, they traveled to many different countries including Germany where they enjoyed square dancing.  Dancing was a passion they shared with their children.

He had a 20 year career in the Air Force with multiple overseas assignments to include Newfoundland, Southeast Asia, and Germany with multiple combat deployments to Vietnam.  He retired while at Ellsworth Air Force Base and attended Black Hills State graduating with honors in 1985.

Following graduation he worked for the Navy as an auditor retiring in 1996 and moved to Oacoma, South Dakota.  In his retirement he proudly worked as a South Dakota Veterans Service Officer for Lyman County.  Charlie is a lifetime member of the Johnson Peterson American Legion Post 179, served as Treasurer and an active fundraiser.

His lifelong hobbies included visiting and sharing stories with family, friends, and acquaintances, skeet shooting, pheasant hunting, reloading shells, and collecting guns.

Charlie passed away on December 16, 2018 at Sanford University of South Dakota Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Gratefully sharing his life are his children Alan Kentch of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Cheryl (Ed) Rivera of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Margaret (Scott) Ames of Huntsville, Alabama; grandson Adam Kentch of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; a sister Sharon (Donal) Raymond of St. George, Utah; and a brother Ed (Mary) Kentch of Omaha, Nebraska.

Preceding him in death were his wife Donna and his parents Alice and George Kentch.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial gifts to Johnson Peterson American Legion Post 179, 33181 241st Street, Reliance, SD 57569.