Charles "Bob" "Chuck" Claussen, Sr., 81, returned to his heavenly home on July 4, 2015 after a valiant battle with cancer. His devotion to his family and his firm belief in God supported him in his struggle and ultimately gave him peace. Charles Claussen was born in the town of Omaha, Nebraska on July 20, 1933. He was the second child, and the first son, of the late Charles Daniel Claussen and Kathryn (Jennings) Claussen. Charles joined the service and served his country honorably. Charles served in the United States Navy from July 19 1950-May 19, 1953. He was stationed on both the USS Juno and the USS Philippines during the Korean War. Charles later entered the United States Army on January 6, 1955. He married Alice Stroman in Luvern, MN in 1955. He was stationed in the 10th ID Fort Riley Kansas, and then shipped to Wurzburg, Germany, where Alice joined him in 1956. To this union a daughter, Tracy, was born 1957. He returned stateside in 1958. He served in many different duty stations including Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Gordon, Georgia; two tours in Vietnam where he earned two Bronze Star Medals in 1968. Returning in 1967 he was stationed in Oklahoma City as the advisor to the Oklahoma National Guard. Charles married Sharon Spivey Mayes in December 1969 in Norman, Oklahoma. To this union Charles brought his daughter, Tracy, and Sharon brought her two children, Shawn age 4 and Angela age 2. In 1970 Charles Jr. was born and in 1972 Daniel was born. Later they adopted Harlyne and Tami. After retiring from the military in 1971, he joined the Rapid City Police Department where he was a Sergeant, Marksmanship Instructor, and in charge of the SWAT team. The family moved to Burke in 1975, where he became the Gregory County Deputy Sheriff and the director of civil defense, he retired from the sheriff's office in 1977 and from the director of civil defense in 1995. Charles started his next adventure in farming in 1995. During this time Charles was also a senior member of the Air Force Civil Air Patrol search and rescue for 15 years. Charles is survived by his wife, Sharon; his sons Shawn and wife Cheryl, Charles Jr. and wife Jodi, Daniel and wife Swana, and Harlyne and wife Misty; his daughters Tracy and husband Loren Bosch and Angela and husband William Minkos; his 17 grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his sister, Flo and husband John Simmons, his father Charles, his mother Kathryn and his step father Henry Crume. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2015 at 10:30 AM at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke. Burial will be in the Herrick Cemetery, Herrick. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 PM until 7 PM, with a prayer service at 7 PM, at the funeral home.