Charles William “Bill” Churchill, age 92, of Glenwood, MN, died Thursday, January 19, 2017, at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood, following a short illness. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Monday, January 23^rd at Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home Chapel in Glenwood. Lay pastor Mary Stone will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Glenwood Cemetery. Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.

Bill was a life-long resident of Glenwood, MN, born on December 20, 1924 to Charles William Churchill, Sr. and Emma Dorothy Larsen. He graduated from Glenwood High School in June of 1942 and entered the U.S. Navy on December 19, 1942.  He served as an Aviation Radio and Radar Man in the Pacific Theater and dearly loved flying his PBY and TBM Avenger aircraft. He was honorably discharged on February 16, 1946, at which time he returned to Glenwood, where he met a beautiful nurse, Mary Jane Barthelemy. The two married in 1951 and together they raised three daughters.

Bill worked for the Minnesota Highway Department as a civil engineer for 37 years, retiring in 1986. He enjoyed playing golf, tennis, and steak fry’s with his many good friends. He was an avid reader and never stopped learning about his many interests. After retirement he enjoyed coffee at ‘the office’ (the Gingerbread house), going for drives along the lake, and taking care of his beloved cats. Bill was a man with a big heart, who had great pride in his family, his military service, and his hometown. 

Bill is survived by his three daughters, Jane (Ken) Sears of Litchfield, MN, Barb (Paul) Gustafson of Elk River, MN, and Deb Churchill of Burnsville, MN: seven grandchildren, Jenna Sears, Erin Nunez, Nathan Sears, Ben Gustafson, Beth Donelson, Maureen Allen, and Kelsey Allen; and seven great-grandchildren, Kaelyb and Madelyn Sears, Cecilia and Emiliano Nunez, McCoy Donelson, Quinn Gustafson, and Amaya Demery.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Jane, in 1983, his sisters, Adelaide Reynolds and Shirley Napier; and life-long friend, Arleigh Lund.

 Service Information