Charles Kuxhaus

Charles A. Kuxhaus went to his heavenly home on March 2, 2026, in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, with his family by his side, days shy of his 89th birthday. Charles was born in March of 1937 on the farm west of Martin, South Dakota to Fred and Mary Kuxhaus. Charles attended the Bolzer Grade School a few miles from the farm, and graduated from Bennett County High School in 1955. In 1960, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and proudly served for two years. After completing his service, he returned home to work alongside his father on the family farm.

While cruising around and “tom cattin’” in a nearby town with a hometown friend, Charles met Karen K. DeHaai — and the rest, as they say, is history. The two were married on June 5, 1964, in Hot Springs, South Dakota. From that union came four children: Paula, Troy, Todd, and Terry.

In 1970, Charles and Karen moved from their first little house to the home place where Charles had been raised — putting down roots in the very soil that had shaped him. There, he farmed for nearly 47 years, raising his family and instilling in his three boys faith, integrity, knowledge, and work ethic that shaped their lives.

In time, Charles proudly turned the family farm over to Troy, grateful to see the land — and its legacy — continue on. But anyone who knows a farmer will tell you, there’s no such thing as an official “retirement.” Even after handing over the reins, Charles continued helping wherever he was needed. During harvest, you could still find him in the grain cart, occasionally sneaking in a nap between loads (just “resting his eyes,” of course), but happiest out in the field bringing in the crop. Harvest wasn’t just work — it was his way of life. Charles remained involved on the farm until moving to town in 2017.

Charles had a particular passion for auctions — if there was a sale nearby, Charles treated it like a personal invitation. While some people collected antiques, Charles collected what he liked to call “parts inventory.” If it was within driving distance, he was there, often returning home with treasures that he was certain would be useful someday. And if you ever needed a bolt, a bracket, or some mysterious metal object of unknown origin, chances are, Charles had at least three.

Charles was known for his quick wit — and sometimes slightly “unfiltered” — stream of jokes. He loved to make people laugh, and he didn’t always let good judgment get in the way of a good punchline. His favorite audience was his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who learned early on that Grandpa's humor might not be a good idea to be repeated at school.

Whether he was in the field, at an auction, or gathered with family, Charlie’s greatest harvest wasn’t found in the bins — it was the laughter and joy he shared with the people he loved most.

Charles is survived by his wife Karen, sons Troy (Amie) Kuxhaus, Todd (Anna) Kuxhaus, Terry (Carie) Kuxhaus, grandchildren Levi (Lisa) Munyon, Kevin (Shae) Kuxhaus, Colin (Tania) Kuxhaus, Matthew (Veronica) Kuxhaus, Kenzie Kuxhaus, Adisyn Kuxhaus, great grandchildren, Alexa, Finlee, Melanie, Zayl, Carter, Turner, Wittyn, Easton, Kolby and RaeLynn, sisters Dorothy Hicks, Betty Plowe, Donna (Dave)Harrington, and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Mary Kuxhaus, brother Willard Kuxhaus, sister Irene Schwarting, daughter Paula, and great-grandson Conrad Kuxhaus.

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