Gerald Walter "Chuck" Bixby, 66, Sturgis, died Friday, November 20, 2009, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Visitation will be Monday from noon until 9:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, November 24, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel with Rev. Harold Delbridge officiating. Burial will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery.

Chuck was born February 2, 1943, in Deer River, MN, to Orval and Loretta (Tibbets) Bixby. He grew up and attended school in Deer River. He served in the US Army from 1964 to 1966 and served 7 months in Vietnam. He moved to Sturgis in 1983 where he worked as a logger. Chuck married Claudia "Suds" Urbaniak on April 16, 1993, in Sturgis. He retired from logging one year ago due to health reasons.

He was a member of the V.F.W.

He is survived by his wife, Claudia "Suds" Bixby, Sturgis; two sons, Joe and Tom Bixby, both of Minnesota; one stepdaughter, Kim and Tom Nelson, Sturgis; one stepson, Bill and Cecilia Estes, Sturgis; three brothers and two sisters, all of Minnesota; and four grandchildren, Hugo Estes, Kristine Estes, Jeffrey Nelson, and Matthew Nelson.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial has been established to Hospice of the Northern Hills.