Charles "Chuck" Schrader Thompson

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Rita Hug; daughters Gail (Mike) Saxerud, Michelle (Jon) Cleckler, Sarah (Joel) Vasek; grandchildren Lily and Nick Saxerud, Addie and Cohen Cleckler, Mae and Evan Vasek; sister Martha Conklin Fread, nephew Alan (Charlotte) Fread; his cat Buster, and many in-laws, cousins, and friends.

Chuck was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa on July 29, 1943 but grew up in the small town of Moberly, Missouri, the son of Fred and Anna (Schrader) Thompson. He learned the value of work early on starting with his first job at the age of 10 as a paperboy for the local daily newspaper. He was active in scouting, earning the rank of Eagle Scout, and often shared memories of travelling with his father to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. He graduated from Moberly High School in 1961, attended Moberly Junior College and Central Methodist College, and received his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the University of Missouri Kansas City Dental School in June 1968. While in dental school he worked at a local hospital and would often regale his family with stories of working the night shift in the Emergency Room.

Following graduation from dental school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was fortunate to be posted to Germany for his initial assignment. There he developed his adventurous spirit, and love for travel and German beer. In 1972, he was posted to Fort Carson, Colorado and completed eight years of active duty there before joining the Army Reserves. As the commander of a reserve Dental Service Medical Detachment, he was called back to active duty for Desert Storm in 1990 and returned with his unit to Germany to replace troops sent to Kuwait. He retired from the Army in 1992 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was very proud of his service and often expressed gratitude for his years in the military.

Chuck began his dental practice work in Cripple Creek, Colorado on the weekends in rented space with borrowed equipment before opening his first private practice in Woodland Park, Colorado in 1976. Affectionately known as Dr. T to his staff and patients at Rampart Family Dental, he was well suited to a small town practice and loved learning about the lives of his patients and sharing stories with them about his girls. He retired from private practice in July 2006, but as someone who had worked since the age of 10, retirement was hard for him so he returned to his military roots and began work as a contract dentist at Fort Carson in 2007. He hung up his drill for the last time in September 2010, completing 42 years as a dentist.

He bought his first camera in his 20’s and photography would become his lifelong passion. He traveled the United States and the world in search of landscapes, sunsets, amazing animals, and the northern lights. He loved spending time in the Colorado Rockies, especially the San Juans, and could never take enough wildflower pictures. He enjoyed decorating the walls of his dental office with photos of some of his favorite subjects and sharing stories of his photography adventures with his patients. Sadly over forty years of his photography work and precious travel mementos were lost when Chuck and Rita’s house was destroyed in the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012.

His other passion was gardening. He successfully gardened at altitude in Woodland Park, and in his later years worked a plot at the Bear Creek Community Garden. He served on the Garden Board and loved leaning on his hoe, visiting with other gardeners, sharing tips and tricks with them, and year after year seeking to grow the perfect tomato.

Chuck loved the mountains and in later years spent many hours at the family vacation home in Buena Vista, gazing at Mount Princeton from the hot tub. He touched many lives as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, in-law, dentist, photographer and friend. He was a “girldad” long before the term was coined almost singlehandedly raising three daughters. He faced loss and adversity with courage and a unique sense of humor. He was an unforgettable personality and will be missed by all who knew him.

A celebration of Chuck’s life will be held on July 29, 2021, the day that would have been his 78th birthday, in Woodland Park, Colorado at 10:30 am at the Mountain View United Methodist Church. Private burial will follow at a later date at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in Chuck’s honor may be made to the Bear Creek Garden Association, P.O. Box 38326, Colorado Springs, CO 80937 or to the charity of one’s choosing. The family would like to thank the staff at Compassus Hospice for their loving care and support through Chuck’s final journey.