CHARLES MALECHA
Charles William Malecha, Pittsville, WI died Monday December 9, 2024 at Aspen Acres Assisted Living in Hayward.
A Funeral Service will be held for Chuck at 11am Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at the Buchanan/Rembs Funeral Home in Pittsville with Pastor Gary Markworth officiating. Visitation will be from 9:30am until time of service. He will be buried at 11am Wednesday at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner, Wisconsin with military honors performed there.
He was born on June 25, 1933 in Rice County, MN to Joseph and Marie (Kohout) Malecha. Chuck was a 1951 graduate from Northfield High School in Northfield, MN. He enlisted in the Navy in September 1951. He served during the Korean War in the 7th Pacific Fleet on the Destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Epperson, and USS Phillip. He was honorably discharged in August 1955. A special occasion of Chuck’s took place on May 13, 2013. He took a trip of a lifetime and went to Washington DC on the Never Forgotten Honor Flight. A day he said he would never forget.
He married Margaret Mulligan in February 1956 in Minnesota. They later divorced. He later married Leah (Ritter) Kalepp on January 28, 1977 in Prescott, Wisconsin.
He worked as a boiler operator for 19 years at Koch Refining in Pine Bend, MN. He also worked for many years as an AODA Counselor and then as a truck driver for Tritz Transport, Roehl Trucking, and Kasner Trucking. He semi-retired in 1996. He was a member of the VFW and was active for many years in the Civil Air Patrol. He loved raising Arabian horses and also enjoyed camping, fishing, bowling, & hunting.
He is survived by two sons: Charles L (Chip) and Dean J Malecha and two daughters: Debra (Larry) Kinter, and Cindy Cole; 2 stepchildren Dan (Sue) Kalepp of Spencer, WI and Deena (Howard) Johnson of Hayward, WI. He is further survived by 7 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren, his brother Harold (BJ) Malecha of Oregon and by many other loving family and friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, wife Leah, siblings: Donald, James, Agnes Kalina, Glen, Bernice Malecha, and Janice Angill.
The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the wonderful staff at Aspen Acres Assisted Living and Hayward Regional Hospice Services for their loving care.
Condolences may be sent online at www.rembsfh.com