Charles “Charlie” Lee Messenger, 90, has passed away Wednesday, April 12, 2023, after a short illness.
He was born July 3, 1932, to the late Leon R. Messenger and Clare C. (Bayerlein) Messenger in Lincoln. He attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and obtained several different degrees in the science and agriculture fields. He did have a goal of getting his Master’s Degree as well. Charlie was a proud Marine and worked on engine repair of planes in Cherry Point, North Carolina. at the end of the Korea War. He wanted to learn to fly planes for fun. He and wife, Alice (Wagner) Messenger, had six children, daughters; Judy L. Wilson, Catherine A. Newsham (Thomas B. Martinez) and sons; Mark A. Messenger, Bruce Messenger (Jodie Naderhoff) and twins Leon R and Louis R. Messenger.
Charlie enjoyed working in the science fields and was very adventurous in everything he did. He worked at Duffield’s doing radio and TV repair, the Department of Roads as a chemist, the University of Nebraska in paleontology, geology, entomology and collecting specimens in Egypt for preservation in the University of Nebraska collections. He dug up dinosaur bones, turtles and all kinds of petrified sea life in Nebraska. He married his soulmate, Karen Kreycik, on April 1, 1972. Frequent camping trips with his family in very remote areas in order to get the best rocks occurred all the time. He also loved to meet up with family in Yellowstone from the Pacific Northwest.
Charlie collected old cars and restored them. He had an extensive Massey Ferguson tractor collection, which he threatened to paint one John Deere green much to the anger of his daughter, Cathi, and take it to the local Fourth of July parade. He loved any kind of guns or rifles, and was a licensed gun dealer. Gun safety was very important to him. He kept horses in town – Big Red for him and Shetland ponies for his daughters. He loved music and could play the baritone, trumpet and bugle horn. He loved to square dance and continued to dance throughout his 80s.
He worked hard to provide for his family. He caught fish, hunted deer and had a huge garden that his kids had to weed and water. His kids never could figure out how he knew that we were roasting and eating apples in the burn barrel. After moving to Hickman, he joined the Hickman Volunteer Fire Dept. for many years. Because his extensive antique collection needed more room, he and his wife, Karen, moved to a small farm outside of Dorchester. They recently sold their farm and moved into Crete in 2022. He enjoyed eating out at his favorite restaurants, especially breakfast with close friends.
Charles is survived by his wife, Karen A. (Kreycik) Messenger; daughter, Cathi Newsham (Tom Martinez), Topeka, Kansas; sons, Mark Messenger, Wood Lake, and Leon Messenger, Lincoln; grandchildren, Genni Newsham-Boyles (Mitch), Brent Newsham, Jody Kreycik (Phuonh), and Joye Dicharry (Joel); many nieces and nephews and brother-in-law, Joe Kreycik (Sharon). Charles was preceded in death by his parents; uncle, Chick Bayerlein; aunt, Frieda (Fred) Bayerlein; ex-wife, Alice (Wagner) Messenger; sons, Louis R. Messenger and Bruce Messenger; daughter, Judy (Messenger) Wilson; and mother-in-law, Ruby Kreycik.
A memorial service was April 19. Charles has been cremated in accordance with his wishes. Arrangements by Kuncl Funeral Home.
