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June 16, 1954-Sept. 23, 2026
Minot
Charles Robert Essex III, 72, of Minot, passed away peacefully on September 23, 2026, surrounded by his family.
Charles was born on June 16, 1954, in Tacoma, Washington, he was the only son of Charles and Claudian (Starr) Essex.
He graduated from Harrison High School in Colorado Springs in 1973. After graduation, he followed in his father's footsteps by enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in Denver, Colorado in 1974. He married his high school sweetheart, Jacqueline Gay Stagner on February 28, 1975.
He was stationed with the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base and served in many aircraft maintenance roles, from Strategic Aircraft Maintenance Technician to instructor. He worked primarily on B-52s, performing quality-control inspections and all levels of aircraft maintenance and training.
He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force on November 30, 1994, after receiving numerous medals and awards throughout his career.
After retiring, he and Jacque returned to Colorado Springs, Colorado where they lived until moving back to Minot, North Dakota, in 2019.
In retirement, he devoted his time to family and the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, hiking, golfing, woodworking and forging knives. Whenever something sparked his interest, he eagerly took it on.
Though serious by nature, he was compassionate and had a wicked sense of humor. He often opened his home to family and was a master of one-liners and dad jokes. He especially loved sharing his hobbies and knowledge with his daughters, sons-in-law, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. They often joined him in the garage to tinker, on the golf course, or outdoors hunting, fishing, and hiking in the mountains.
His life was defined by his love of family, country, and outdoors, as well as his gift for working with his hands. Charles had a commanding presence, and his strength and character inspired those around him. He will be deeply missed.
He is survived by his legacy; his wife of 51 years, Jacque; daughters, Brandi (Dan) Larson and Melanie (Shane) Haug; grandchildren, Emily Larson, Ian Larson, Erik Larson, Bryce (Sierra) Haug, and Gaige (Caroline) Haug; mother, Claudian Essex; sisters, Carol Whitt and Cindy (Craig) Cooperider; great-grandson, Grant Haug; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Charles R. Essex, Jr.
Celebration of Life Service: Monday, September 28, 2026, 1:00 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.
Visitation: Sunday, September 27, 2026, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the National Park Service or the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
At Charles' request, burial will not take place, as he requested to be cremated.
The service will be livestreamed for the public to view and can be accessed by going to the Thompson-Larson Funeral home website: www.thompson larson.com
Those wishing to sign the online register and share memories may access the online obituaries section at (www.thompson larson.com).
Published by The Minot Daily News, September 26, 2026.