Chritton, Charles Paul

Charles Paul Chritton

April 27, 1939 — April 29, 2025

Charles (Chuck) Chritton passed away peacefully at his home on April 29, 2025, after enjoying his 86th birthday two days before. He left this world being known as a damn good Marine and a kind man who loved his family and enjoyed the simple things in life. He will be most remembered for his big, jolly belly laugh that couldn’t help but make you smile.

Chuck was born in New Ulm, MN on April 27, 1939, to M. Charles and Eugenia Chritton. When he was eight, his family moved to La Crosse, WI where he attended Holy Trinity School and Aquinas High School.

During high school from 1956 to 1957, he was in the active reserve for the US Navy. After high school, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps in July 1957. He was stationed in Thailand as a Recon Marine where he had many adventures. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps with the rank of Lance Corporal. He then pursued his education at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1965 while working 40 hours a week doing various jobs. He re-enlisted in Marine Corps’ OCS in the fall of 1965. In 1966, he received the Honor Graduate Award and was presented with an engraved Sword of Honor. On December 2, 1966, he married Claudia A. Clark

From January 1967 to January 1968, he served in Vietnam with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines in the I-Corps, the northernmost part of South Vietnam. He was involved in the “Hill Fights” at Khe Sanh and was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V” for heroism as commanding officer of Fox Company, 2/3, for taking Hill 881 North on May 5,1967. He also received two Purple Heart Medals for being wounded in combat. His experiences in Vietnam altered his view of the world, but did not take away from his compassion or perspective that life is a “glass half full.” After Vietnam, he was stationed at Quantico, VA, as an OCS Instructor. He left the Marine Corps as a Major.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother and his brother Jim. He is survived by his wife, Claudia A. Chritton, his brother Tom Chritton and sisters Myrna Conway (Jerry), Kathy Wewerka (Case) and Ann Sciborski (Dan) ; children Michael D. Chritton (partner Gilly Economy), Karen M. Hudson (partner Michael Johnson) and Susan Chambless and son-in-law Greg Chambless; grandchildren Brandon Chambless, Ryan Chambless, Lindsay Chritton, Kevin Hudson, Nicole Chambless and Abby Chritton; seven great grandchildren and fourteen nieces and nephews.