Charles F. Marchand

The day after Memorial Day 2019, our family lost its patriarch and its favorite soldier. Charles “Charlie” Frederick Marchand, born in Brock, Nebraska, on June 16, 1932, died in Omaha on May 28th at the age of 86. To his family, Charlie will be remembered as a devoted husband, a stern but loving father, and a proud grandfather and great-grandfather. To everyone else, he could be seen as the living embodiment of the American Dream: a soldier, a patriot, a small business owner, and a family man. Born during the depression in rural southeastern Nebraska, Charlie was one of thirteen children delivered by a mother who he deeply cherished. With few other avenues available to him, and like so many others in his greatest of generations, Charlie enlisted in the United States Army on June 19, 1952, as a paratrooper with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. He completed his basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, and graduated from jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia, before shipping overseas to fight in the Korean War. During the war, Charlie was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and saw considerable action on the front lines in Korea until he was honorably discharged from service in the U.S. Army on May 28, 1955. He was later discharged from service in the United States National Guard on September 30, 1959, formally ending his period of armed services to the country he loved. Charlie also earned his GED while serving in the Army. Following his service as a paratrooper, Charlie returned home to Nebraska to marry his wife of 49 years and the love of his life, Millie, on August 5, 1955. Settling briefly in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and then finally in Millard, Nebraska, Charlie and Millie had five children over the next seven years: Charles, Jr. (Butch), Greg, Steve, Susan, and Doug. Charlie’s kids remember a tough but loving father who loved to camp and fish, a hard-working man who commanded respect for their mother at all times. Charlie’s pride in his work was always evident to anyone who knew him, and one of his proudest moments in life was when he was able to start a successful home construction business, Marchand Homes, with his sons. There were two things in this world in which Charlie was most proud: his family and his service to his country. In his later years, Charlie lived for family time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Whether it was teaching them to play poker, a fishing trip to the state park, visiting them at school in South Carolina, watching them play sports, helping them with their pinewood derby cars, or just sitting around, having some beers, and telling some jokes, it was in these moments that Charlie was truly happiest. Charlie was also an active member in the Millard VFW and American Legion clubs and relished the opportunity to represent each of these organizations by carrying the flag in parades around town, especially during Millard Days. A few years ago, Charlie had the special opportunity to participate in the Korean War Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., a trip that moved him to tears. In 2004, after nearly 50 years of marriage, Charlie lost his wife, Millie, much too soon. While he mourned Millie’s loss until the very end of his life, Charlie was lucky to find yet another love and companionship in long-time family friend Judy Nelson. Charlie and Judy shared their last 13 years together, until Judy’s death earlier this year. While we all harbor our own memories of Charlie, we share in our deep sadness at his passing while, in the Marchand way, celebrating a meaningful life well-lived. Charlie set an example of love, toughness, grit, hard-work, and patriotism that we can all remember him by. We loved him very much. (Written by Grandson Jeremy Christensen)