Final Salute

Charles passed away into the arms of his Lord on May 6, 2026, at his home in Yelm, WA, surrounded by his two sons.

Charles (also known as Butch, Chuck, and Charlie) was born on October 23, 1939, to Charles and Nellie (Miller) Dvorak in Cresco, IA. He was the fifth of seven children. Charles graduated from Notre Dame High School and then joined the U.S. Air Force. He started out as a cook, and one of his favorite stories to tell was how the base commander would only have Airman Dvorak prepare his eggs. He then moved on to learning HVAC and decided to leave the Air Force when they wanted him to start teaching. He moved back to Iowa where he worked for the city for about a year. A chance meeting with a Naval recruiter convinced him to join the Navy as a Seabee. There, he would spend several years teaching. While stationed at Port Hueneme, he agreed to go on a double date with a friend. It was on that date that he met Grace Johnson, who was the date of his friend. Charles and Grace had more in common with each other than their dates and a year later Charles (during his first of two tours in Vietnam) proposed. Charles and Grace ended up living in Adak, AK, Oxnard, CA, Germantown, MD before finally settling down in Bellingham, WA. Along the way, the couple welcomed two sons, Jeffery (Jeff) and Glen (Rich), and a daughter, Melynda.

While Grace was his true love, racquetball came in a close second. Charles played racquetball for about 30 years, racking up numerous first-place trophies and club championships. He was also a talented carpenter and (after moving to Yelm in 2008) built several pieces for St Columban Church. Charles was always ready and willing to help those in need and is remembered for his warm smile and playful demeanor. That is, except by his sons who remember what it was like to hold the flashlight for him. He would have appreciated that part.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Grace; his daughter, Melynda; and his brothers, Donald, William, Eugene, and Robert.

He is survived by his sons, Michael (Michelle), Jeffery (Pamela), and Glen; daughter, Michelle (Randy) Chwialkowski; brother Wayne (Linda) Dvorak; and two grandchildren, Anna-Grace and Charles (Charlie).

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, May 19th, at 11 a.m. at St. Columban Catholic Church in Yelm, WA (506 1st St S, Yelm) with a reception following at the parish hall. He will be laid to rest at Greenacres Memorial Park in Ferndale, WA, during a graveside service with full military honors on Thursday, June 4th, at 10 a.m.
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