Charles Toenges

“Chuck” Charles Wesley Toenges

Memorial services for Charles “Chuck” Toenges, age 57, of Circle Pines, Minnesota, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 23, 2016 at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home.  Pastor Kent Otterman will officiate.  Friends may greet the family one hour prior to the service.

Chuck was called home suddenly by Our Heavenly Father, while at his home in Circle Pines, where he and Jil have resided for the past 14+ years.

Chuck Toenges was born February 2, 1959, the youngest son of Darvy and Vivian Toenges.  He was born at Naeve Hospital, baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church.  He was raised in Albert Lea, where he attended school, graduated, and raised a family of 2 sons, Brad and Jason with (then wife) Nancy.  He did some farming and worked at Alamco for 15+ years.  He later attended South Central Technical College where he received an HVAC degree.

In early 2002, he met Jil and moved to Circle Pines.  He took classes to receive his journeyman certificate in the Minnesota Glaziers and Allied Trades Union.  He was currently employed at All-Metro Glass in Maplewood.  For the past couple years, he had been taking gunsmithing courses through the American Gun Institute.  He thoroughly enjoyed tearing apart firearms and putting them back together, as well as gun collecting and target shooting.

For the past 8 years, Chuck, Jil and Jil’s son, Lance, have been owners of Siren Antiques, located in Siren, Wisconsin.  Chuck was an avid buyer and seller of antique and vintage hand tools, firearms, and hunting and fishing related items.  Another hobby of Chuck’s was woodworking.  He would often say he loved making sawdust, and had quite a large tool collection.  Chuck was extremely talented as a jack-of-all-trades.  He could do plumbing, electrical, heating and AC, carpentry, and whatever was asked of him. (Except laundry – Jil never let him touch the laundry!)  He was a great lover of animals – especially dogs.  He had a special place in his heart for and an uncanny connection to his dogs.  He said he knew what they wanted or needed, because he could speak “DOG” – and we believed him!

Chuck was preceded in death by grandparents, Helmer and Myrtle Troe, Wesley and Hulda Toenges; father, Darwin Toenges; sister-in-law, Lora Toenges; and aunt Aline Rogert.

He is survived by mother, Vivian Toenges; sons: Brad (Corin) Toenges and Jason Toenges; granddaughter, Gabrielle Toenges; step-children: Adam Walz and Nicole (Jerret) Lettner; brothers: Vergil (Emy) Toenges, Larry Toenges, and Dan Toenges; aunt and uncle, Duane and Sonja Troe; nieces and nephews: Todd (Darlene) Toenges and Jewel, Jenna, and Janessa; Colby (Suprena) Toenges and Ty and Tyler; Sara Toenges and Hannah, Chloe, and Gracie; Meka (Nick) Simmons; Mindy Toenges (Tim Mann) and Brianna, Madison, and Brooklyn; and many cousins.  Also survived by Jil and family; mother, Darleen; children, Lance (Terah) Ramsdell and Josie; Richelle (Tom) Quirk, Addison and Brady; Brianne (Michael) Perreten; brothers, Greg (Holly) Highstrom, Todd (April) Highstrom, and best friend and shooting buddy, Kevin Highstrom; extended family; Flora, Shawn, and Jo Holmberg, Dean and Donna Hunter, Ned and Helen Hunter, Roger and Sharon Hunter.

Chuck will be sadly missed by family, friends, neighbors, co-workers at All-Metro Glass, and his many friends from Siren Antiques.