Charles Gene Merrifield

Charles Gene Merrifield, 90

November 18, 1932 - March 6, 2023

Charlie Merrifield died peacefully at home in the early morning hours on Monday, March 6, 2023, after spending the weekend doing what he loved, watching a grandchild at a sporting event, catching up and kibitzing with family, friends, former athletes, and coaches from around the state. It was AA divisional basketball in Kalispell and the only thing that arguably could have made the weekend better was if it were State track and it was in Butte.

Charlie was born in Butte on November 18, 1932, the third and youngest child of James and Louise Escalier Merrifield. He graduated from Butte High school in 1951, and promptly flunked out of Montana Tech, where it was rumored that the only class he attended was track. With renewed focus, Charlie graduated from Western Montana College with a two-year diploma in 1954. He taught at Whittier for three years before returning to Western in 1957 to complete his bachelor's degree in mathematics with minors in English and P.E. Charlie returned to Butte and taught at East Junior High for a year, then after brief stints in Las Vegas and Helena, he returned to Butte in 1961, accepting a math position at Butte High School, where he taught for the next three-plus decades. Charlie returned to school one last time in 1964, on a grant from the National Science Foundation, to complete his master's degree in mathematics with a minor in physics at University of Colorado, Boulder.

Charlie married Elizabeth "Betty" Whelan on Saturday, August 15, 1959, and together they raised four children, Jim, Liza, Lori, and Chuck. They just recently celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. Charlie and Betty made do without many times in the early years of their marriage to ensure that each of their children was able to pursue whatever dreams called them. Together, they spent their careers as educators in the Butte school system and their lives supporting not only their own, but Butte's youth collectively, encouraging kids to excel in whatever activity inspired their passions.

With his grandchildren, he was Papa. As with his own children, he never missed an opportunity to support all endeavors, big or small. As Charlie got older and the grandkids became young adults, he developed a habit of calling, round-robin style, at least weekly. The calls would routinely begin, with "given first name, given middle name, this is your Papa, how's it going?" followed quickly by "here talk to your Nana, I can't hear you. Love you." That was it. Just a check in to hear a voice. Grandkids are good, all is right with the world.

Charlie coached for nearly 70 years as both an assistant and head coach in a variety of sports, but primarily track and field. He greeted students, recruited athletes, shared wisdom or discipline, or simply checked in on life, always accompanied by a handshake. Depending on his intended message, the handshake would be simply firm, or it could be a handshake that put you to your knees. For a young teacher or coach, he was a walking master class on classroom or activity management, all centered around a few quiet words and a simple handshake.

Charlie spent the bulk of his career at Butte High, but he coached anyone over the years who expressed an interest to learn. His specialty was the hurdles. During one memorable eight-year stretch where sixteen individual Montana high school state hurdle championship events were contested, nine of the sixteen were won by one of Charlie's athletes. At last year's Montana high school state track meets, Charlie's hurdlers lined up to compete for medals in Class AA, A, and Class B events, both boys and girls. Two finished as state champion in multiple events, and others came away with medals, all-state placings, and podium finishes. He goes to his grave still coaching, having influenced generations, teaching life lessons anywhere with room to set-up a couple hurdles and run.

Charlie was inducted into the Montana Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1991. He is a member of the Western Montana College Hall of Fame and the Butte Sports Hall of Fame. In 2005, the track complex at Bulldog Memorial Stadium was renamed Charlie Merrifield Track in honor of a lifetime of service to the school district and its student-athletes. In 2016, the family travelled to Louisville, Kentucky, where Charlie was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) Hall of Fame.

Charlie is preceded in death by his father and mother, Jim and Louise Merrifield; his brother, Jimmy Merrifield; sister, Louise Cavanaugh; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Mary Lou and Bob Olson, Kathleen Janney, Jeanne Whelan Ellis, Jack Whelan, Larry and Barbara Whelan, and TJ Furshong, and his son-in-law, Kevin Dennehy.

He is survived by his wife, Betty; son and daughter: Jim Merrifield and Liza Dennehy of Butte; daughter and son-in-law: Lori and Pete Babcock of Missoula; son and daughter-in-law: Chuck and Katie Merrifield of Butte and son-in-law, Jim Richardson of Dillon; grandchildren: Keli and Jake (Jonna Mallillin) Dennehy, Kerianne Fuller, and her husband, Connor, Jacki (Skyler Roope) and Jamey Richardson, and Zach and Casey Merrifield; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Ed Janney, Bobbie Whelan, Peggy and Jim Maloney, and Donna Furshong; and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Mass of the Resurrection will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 14th, at St. Ann's Catholic Church. Friends may call at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. Cremation has taken place. Entombment of the ashes will follow in the Holy Cross Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Butte Education Foundation, P.O. Box 3821, Butte, MT 59701, the St. James Foundation, 425 West Porphyry St., Butte, MT 59701, or a charity of the donor's choice.