Charles Douglas Pecha

Charles Douglas Pecha, 92, passed away peacefully with his wife by his side on August 29th, 2024. Charles was born in Mosinee, Wisconsin, on August 4th, 1932 to Frank and Henrietta Pecha. At a very young age, Charles moved with his family to Elk Point, South Dakota, where he grew up on a farm. Charles graduated from Elk Point high school in 1950 and immediately enrolled in a summer school program to become a teacher. That fall, after just turning 18 years old, he began teaching in a rural one-room classroom near Elk Point. Nearing the end of his first year of teaching, a group of his friends dropped by to inform him that they were going to join the Navy and wanted to know if he would like to also join along with them. He left his one-room classroom behind and spent the next four years in the Navy with his service split primarily between Key West, Florida and Port Lyautey in French Morocco, North Africa. Upon discharge from the Navy, Charles began attending the Black Hills Teacher’s College in Spearfish, South Dakota. In 1958, Charles graduated with a teaching degree in Industrial Arts and, following a phone interview, accepted a teaching position with Omak High School for “one or two years” as he said and then they would move back to South Dakota. His “one or two years” turned into a long career with Omak High School, eventually retiring after 51 years of employment with the school district. While attending college, Charles met Joyce Rickett and in 1956 the two were married in Sioux City, Iowa. Once realizing that their “one or two years” in Omak might turn into a longer stay, Charles and Joyce bought their first and only home they would ever own in 1963 and together spent the next 50+ years working on numerous home-improvement projects. Charles is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joyce, their three sons; Terry and his wife Tammy (Osborne) of Snohomish, Tom and his wife Lori (Buck) of Spokane, Tim and his wife Melody (Bowden) of Omak, nine grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. A graveside service will be held 11:00 am, Friday, September 20th 2024 at the Okanogan Valley Memorial Gardens.

Charles Douglas Pecha

August 4, 1932 - August 29, 2024