Charles "Chuck" Langner, age 85, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away peacefully on December 17, 2025.

***A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Miller Funeral Home, 7400 S. Minnesota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, with a luncheon to follow. Family will be present one hour prior to the service to greet friends.***

Born on November 5, 1940, in Brookings, South Dakota, Chuck lived his entire life rooted in the land, people, and places of South Dakota.

Chuck was the son of Lester Langner Sr. and Lois Geraldine (Bader) Langner. He grew up on a farm outside Elkton, South Dakota, where he learned early the habits of hard work, responsibility, and life lived close to the land. Those early years left him with a lasting attachment to rural life.

Education mattered deeply to Chuck. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Dakota State University (then General Beadle State Teachers College) in 1961, followed by a Master of Education from South Dakota State University in 1967. He dedicated many years to education as a teacher, principal, and later serving on the school board in Brandon Valley. Whether in a classroom, an office, or a long conversation, Chuck believed learning was lifelong and worth pursuing.

Chuck married Ruth Ann Koehler on June 28, 1974, at First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They shared a life of companionship and adventure, traveling together, especially enjoying cruises, and gathering often with family. Their home was a welcoming place where the kids often brought friends, and where time was spent sharing meals and playing card and board games. Chuck took great joy in being surrounded by loved ones, and the home he shared with Ruth was filled with joy and laughter.

Over the course of his life, Chuck lived in communities across South Dakota, including Valley Springs, Bison, Chamberlain, and ultimately Sioux Falls. He also spent many years traveling throughout South Dakota and parts of Minnesota selling life insurance. The work suited his storytelling nature and love of conversation, and it allowed him to connect with people from all walks of life.

Though he wore many hats - educator, salesman, and administrator - Chuck was, at his core, a cowboy. He loved horses and rodeo, and felt most at ease in wide-open spaces where a person could breathe deeply and think clearly. He was a hunter, fisherman, and golfer, and an avid admirer of Western movies, Western novels, and U.S. history. His shelves held nearly every book written by Louis L'Amour, stories he returned to again and again. Country music played often in his world. He also found joy in simple pleasures such as riding his lawnmower, playing cards, placing a friendly wager, or settling in with a good story.

Chuck was a devout Lutheran, grounded in a quiet, enduring faith.

To those who loved him, Chuck was a steady presence and a gifted storyteller. Family memories include campfires in the yard, riding horses, singing on long road trips, fishing, watching Minnesota Vikings and Nebraska Huskers games, playing cards late into the evening, eating homemade pie, and laughing until tears came. He filled rooms with jokes and stories that were often told with details just slightly off, close enough to be convincing and funny enough to become family lore. A skilled horseman and marksman, he was generous in sharing what he knew, teaching others how to ride and how to shoot clay pigeons. He could waltz across a room in perfect step, often singing, and brought warmth and humor to gatherings large and small.

Above all, Chuck loved his family. He is survived by Ruth Langner; his children Lauri Burke (Kenny), Patricia Keeler, Teresa Loevinger, Michelle Massey, Michael Langner (Heera), and David Langner; his grandchildren Maren, Dustin, Aaron, Briana, Nick, Laura, Lisa, Kylee, Ayla, and Tula; his great-grandchildren Adalynn, Miles, and Mia; his siblings LaDonna Myers (Mick) and Lester Langner Jr.; his aunt Jean Lane; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester Langner Sr. and Lois Geraldine Langner; his brother Michael Langner; and numerous beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Chuck loved his family deeply, and he was deeply loved in return. His family finds comfort in imagining him riding the open trail, free, peaceful, and finally at rest.

Happy trails, Papa Chuck.
Until we meet again.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Wounded Warrior Project, a cause that was very important to Chuck.