Charles Emerson Gettig

1938 - 2025

Charles Emerson Gettig

August 7, 1938 - July 10, 2025

Salt Lake City, Utah - Our beloved father and grandfather, Charles ("Chuck") Emerson Gettig, Jr., passed away peacefully at home in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 10, 2025.

Chuck was born on August 7, 1938, to Charles Emerson Gettig, Sr., and Edith Viola (Shank) Gettig, and was elder brother to Nancy. He grew up in Pleasant Gap, PA, and recalled good times with a vast extended family who knew him as "Butch." Butch's Uncle Russell Gettig featured significantly into his life, including through the tragic loss of his father in 1954; Butch regarded Uncle Russell as a second father.

Chuck was a proud member of the U.S. Army for over 37 years in a Gettig military service tradition dating back to the Revolutionary War. A "mustang," he enlisted at age 17 and earned an Officer's commission in 1964. His foreign postings included Germany, Korea (twice), and a combat tour in Viet Nam. He gratefully recognized the Army's formative impact on him, including a master's-level education. He was a proud Penn State alumnus. Chuck's service paralleled that of his sister Nancy's husband, Col. Michael Osterhoudt (Ret.), and they shared many experiences around the world. Chuck retired in 1992 as a Lieutenant Colonel and then took 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.

Chuck married Joan Kmetz in 1960 and referred to her as his "bride" until she died in 2022. They had three children: Jo Ann, Linda, and Vicki. Their lives were full of adventures associated with his military assignments.

Chuck was curious, inquisitive, adventurous, 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 church member and a volunteer citizen judge evaluator for the Utah State Courts. His interests were broad. He sometimes took risks in the name of good fun and often joked that he had nine lives. His devotion to fitness kept him swimming routinely well into his 85th year.

Nature was Chuck's life-long sanctuary. True to his boyhood roots, he was an inveterate "farmer" who always had a garden. He volunteered for years with the Nature Conservancy and 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 devoted to his family above all and loved adventuring and being with them. Days before he died he said that, granted one wish, he would want precisely what he had in that moment: family around him. Among the many things he taught them were 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 1:00 p.m. MST on 7/23/2025 at Zion Lutheran Church in Salt Lake City, followed by interment with full military honors at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/millcreek-ut/charles-gettig-12449589.