Charles Emerson Gettig

Chuck was born on August 7, 1938, in Pittsburgh, PA, to Charles Emerson Gettig, Sr., and Edith Viola (Shank) Gettig. He was elder brother to his beloved sister Nancy. His family moved in 1945 to Pleasant Gap, PA, where he spent the rest of his youth in a house on Noll Street, just “down the mountain” from his maternal grandparents on whose farm he worked and played. He was known by his vast extended family as “Butch” and hunted, fished, hiked, camped and had adventures all over Centre Hall Mountain. He fondly recalled running with cousins and sleeping wherever he could during family get-togethers. Butch’s Uncle Russell (Gettig) featured significantly into his childhood and well into adulthood, including through the tragic loss of his father in 1954; Butch regarded Uncle Russell as a second father.

Chuck was a proud and dedicated member of the U.S. Army for 37 years in the Gettig tradition of military service dating back to the Revolutionary War. A so-called mustang, he enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard at age 17. In six years he attained the rank of Sergeant First Class and went on to earn an Officer’s commission in 1964. He had multiple foreign postings including Germany, Korea (twice), and a combat tour in Viet Nam. He gratefully recognized the Army’s formative impact on him, including master’s-level education, and he was a proud alumnus of his hometown school, Penn State. He retired in 1992 as a Lieutenant Colonel but continued serving in military consultancy posts in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Afghanistan. Among his many military commendations are three Army Commendation Medals, an Air Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, two Bronze Star Medals, and the Legion of Merit.

In 1959 Chuck met Joan Kmetz while stationed in Pittsburgh. They married in 1960 and he continued to refer to her as his “bride” throughout his life. They had three children: Jo Ann, Linda and Vicki, and their lives were full of postings and adventures associated with Chuck’s military assignments. Joan preceded him in death in 2022.

Throughout his life, Chuck was curious, inquisitive, adventurous, busy and active. He had a robust sense of humor while taking seriously his roles, duties and obligations. He continually worked to improve himself and the world around him. He was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church. For several years he volunteered as a citizen judge evaluator for the Utah court system. He sketched, journaled, whittled, and learned to play guitar and the Native American flute. He sometimes took risks in the name of good fun and often joked that he had nine lives. He enjoyed traveling, running, hiking, backpacking, camping, fishing, hunting, skiing, diving and swimming, which he did well into his 85th year of life.

Nature was Chuck’s life-long sanctuary. He was a frustrated “farmer” who always had a garden. He volunteered for years with the Nature Conservancy. He foraged wherever he was. His daughters fondly recall camping all over the U.S. learning to make fires, relish s’mores, appreciate and understand the natural world, and leave no trace.

Chuck was above all devoted to his family. He had many adventures with his children and grandchildren, including skiing, hiking, backpacking, fishing, traveling, and rich conversation. He loved being around all of them and said just days before he died that, granted one wish, he would want precisely what he had in that moment: family around him. Among many other things, his daughters and grandchildren learned from him perseverance, grit, integrity, devotion, humor, curiosity, recognition of others, and love of family. We will always feel the void created by his absence.

Chuck is survived by his daughters Jo Ann Gettig (Steve Kirkegaard), Linda Gettig (Ian Skurnik), and Vicki Gettig; grandchildren, Matthew Kirkegaard, Daniel Kirkegaard, Katie Skurnik, and Sam Skurnik; and sister Nancy Gettig Osterhoudt (Michael Osterhoudt).

A live-streamed funeral service (https://youtube.com/live/XNFpQpw97KU) will be held at 1:00pm MST on 7/23/2025 at Zion Lutheran Church in Salt Lake City, followed by interment with full military honors at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.

(Family will commemorate Chuck’s impending birthday on August 7 with a campfire and s’mores at their favorite camp site.)