Charles Michael Loos was born on March 12, 1937 in Delmont, SD. He was the fourth of seven children born to Mathias and Gertrude Loos, second generation immigrants from Germany and Ireland, respectively.

Charlie, as he was widely known, spent his youth attending school and working hard on the family homestead, which included a passion for raising ducks and geese. He was an avid outdoorsman, spending many days hunting and fishing. The Loos clan was musical, and all the children played an instrument; Charlie was notable for guitar, banjo and trombone (his song-writing skills would blossom later in life). And all were fervent Catholics, steeped in the faith instilled by their parents.

Upon graduation from high school, Charlie followed in the footsteps of his older siblings and enrolled at Creighton University. He wanted to be a game warden, so he got an undergraduate degree in Biology. Nearing the end of his studies, he inquired about opportunities in that realm but was told he’d have to wait ten years to get such a coveted position, so he was forced to pivot. He narrowed it down to the priesthood or medical school. He decided that a career in medicine would be intellectually challenging and allow him to be of great service to many people. That’s a noble pursuit, true, but it also allowed him to marry the love of his life, a young nursing student by the name of Kay—the priesthood offered no such perks. They fell in love and married in 1963.

Charlie’s medical career began with a stint in Public Health in Phoenix, AZ, part of his military obligation. After three years there, he settled his growing family in Chamberlain SD, where he perfected the broad-spectrum clinical skillset required of busy rural doctor. He was the trauma specialist, obstetrician, psychiatrist, minor surgeon…he did it all, sometimes in exchange for eggs or a side of beef. When in 1973 the opportunity to join a bigger clinic in Rapid City came up, he jumped at the chance to mitigate his nearly 24/7 call obligations. It was here that Charlie and Kay decided to plant their roots, raise their boys (5!), and build their life.

True to his calling, he indeed impacted the lives of many, many people in his thirty-five years practicing medicine. He was the primary caregiver for thousands, and it’s estimated that he delivered over 2000 babies. Lord only knows how many high school physicals he performed. He was an excellent physician, the perfect blend of supreme competence, empathy, compassion, and integrity.

Outside of work, his continued to be an ardent sportsman, participating in regular hunts of pheasants, ducks, geese, and deer, and pursuing walleye and pike on the Missouri river. He also found another love in the game of golf; he most certainly put in the required 10,000 hours it is said to be a master at something. Cards and poker seemed to go hand-in-hand with the golfing life at the country club, and he got pretty darn good at those games as well.

Ultimately, Charlie was a man of deep faith and unflinching principle. What he did mattered to him, but more importantly, how he did it seemed to be more important. His faith was instilled early, and it only strengthened throughout the course of his lifetime. This provided a steadfast moral compass for he and his family to follow, and he never wavered from it. He always did the right thing. He always was kind. He always lent a hand. He never judged. If you want to witness what a devout man of faith looks like, look no further than Charlie’s life as an example—he truly walked the walk.

The most important things to Charlie were his faith, his family, and his career. His faith informed and infused the other two, which led to remarkable successes by any measure. He exemplified how to live well, and in turn, how to die well. He was absolutely at peace with his fate, and lived to the very end without fear, regrets, or complaints of any kind--a last gift of grace which made coming to terms with his passing much easier for his family to bear. At his death, he was surrounded by the fruits of his life’s labor, as a room full of his children and grandchildren sang him off to heaven. His legacy will live on in the values he has instilled in the next generations, and in generations yet to come.

He is survived by his wife of 63 glorious years, Kay; his siblings Paul, Mary, and Pat; and his children Mike (Heather, children Ireland and Grady), Steve (Kristen, children Henry, Eden, and Ava), Greg (Susan, children Macy and Katie), Chuck (Chris, children Isabel and Xander), and Jeremy (children Dylan and Max). He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Bob, and sisters Corrine and Fran.

Vigil service 6:30 pm Wednesday, July 15 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Rapid City. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00am Thursday, July 16 at the church. Private family inurnment with full military honors will be at the Black Hills National Cemetery. Online condolences at www.osheimschmidt.com

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider a donation to the Neurofibromatosis Foundation. One of Charlie’s grandchildren is living with this condition, and he would consider that a true blessing. Here’s that link: https://www.nfnetwork.org/contribute/contribute-online/