Remember When?

30 YEARS AGO • OCTOBER 7, 1993

CHARLES R. DUFFIELD

OBITUARY

Charles R. “Chuck” Duffield, 79, of Thompson Falls died of natural causes September 28, 1993.

Chuck was born June 23, 1914 at Broadview, Montana to Warren and Martha Duffield. In the fall of 1922, the family moved to Great Falls. Chuck liked to tell how he and his friend, Ralph Buchanan, at the time ages 8 and 9 respectively, made the 71-mile trip to Great Falls from Geraldine by horseback on their own.

In Great Falls Chuck grew up working alongside his cabinet-making father in their Duffield’s Cabinet Shop business. Chuck was a skilled woodworker and in later years made cedar chests for his wife and daughter Susan. As a boy, Chuck had his own team of mules and would hire out to plow fields or grind corn. Chuck acquired his love of gardening from his mother.

Chuck came into adulthood in the depression years, graduating from Great Falls High School in 1933. He kept the first good job he got, working for the Montana Power Company. He completed 46 years of dedicated service to that company. He started out digging post holes and testing lines at the age of 18. Chuck and Mable Judge were married on November 23, 1939. In the years that they raised their family, Chuck worked in the hydroelectric plants at Rainbow Dam near Great Falls, Mystic Lake near Absarokee and for many years was superintendent of the plant in Thompson Falls. He retired from Montana Power Company in 1979.

Chuck was a big man, six feet tall, and loved sports and the outdoors. He was an early member of the Great Falls Ski Club and skied until he was well into his sixties. In 1942, he and his friend, Father Donovan, took 2nd in the state handball tournament. In later years Chuck took up golf; he was the first person to par the Thompson Falls course. Chuck grew up hunting ducks and pheasants and shooting skeet with his father. He liked to hunt deer, elk, antelope and mountain goats. He loved to take people fishing. A favorite place for him was the old power company tent camp at the head of Mystic Lake.

Chuck loved people. He liked to get together with friends and play poker or cribbage. He liked to knit and made sweaters and socks for his family. Over the years, he taught his daughters and many others how to knit. He and Mabel loved to square dance. Chuck had a passion for the rodeo and would travel all over Montana to see one. He attended the National Finals Rodeo until well into his seventies.

Chuck was a devoted husband and a loving father. Survivors include his wife, Mable, Thompson Falls; two daughters, Karen Long of Seattle and Susan Baxter of Thompson Falls; two sons, John and Mike, both of Missoula; a brother, Albert; two sisters, Thelma Traber and Mildred Higgins; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Chuck was active in the Masonic Order. He became a dual member of Thompson Falls Lodge No. 70 in 1972, serving in many capacities over the years.

Memorial services were held in the Community Congregational Church. Following the service, Masonic graveside rites were conducted at the Fraternal Cemetery in Thompson Falls.