Clinton Charles Chamberlain was born on December 12, 1926, in Winner, SD the third of seven children of William and Gertrude Chamberlain. At that time the family was living in Ideal, SD. In 1928 the family moved to Mellette County to homestead a half section of land. Charles remembered that they lived in two little shacks located south of what is now SD Highway 44—one for cooking and one for sleeping. Later they built a house on the north side of the road to be on the homestead land. This is where the ranch headquarters is located today.

In 1934 the family rented land and feed near Martin, SD because there was no feed for the cattle on their land. That winter was the hardest time of Charles’ childhood. On December 1, at age 35, his mother died. Elsie Sanders had come to work for the family in June of 1934 and she stayed with the family to help raise the children. Many years later Bill and Elsie married.

Charles attended Running Bird School through eighth grade. He graduated from White River High School in 1944. Charles remembers driving to school in a car without heat. By the time he and his brothers got there his hands were freezing cold. His first class was typing which always began with a speed test. Needless-to-say, this did not always go very well.

After graduation he enlisted in the US Army and was sent to a special program at the University of South Dakota in Brookings for about six months. He remembered coming home on the train during that winter. The train stopped so he got off but there was no place to get inside so he spent the night standing by the tracks in the cold.

Charles’ active-duty service began on January 8, 1945. After basic training he went on the become a paratrooper. By the time the training was done the war was over and because he could type, he was assigned to an office calculating back pay for soldiers returning from overseas. After discharged he returned to the family ranch.

Charles loved his family, his country, his church, and his Hereford cattle. His dad bought the first registered heifers in 1939 and the Chamberlains have been the registered Hereford business ever since. They added TUF to the name of the business because of their brand. Charles showed cattle over the years with some success. He had the grand champion Hereford bull at the Black Hills Stock Show in 1971 and in 1973. His bull calves placed fifth in the pen show at the Western Livestock Show in Denver in 1971. He was a strong supporter of the Mellette County Livestock Improvement Association. Charles was on the board of directors for many years where he solicited donations and found judges. He always brought calves to town for the Pen of Three heifer show.

Charles married Arlene Schmitz on August 11, 1973. Arlene came to White River as a teacher. Arlene worked for the Todd County Schools as food service director for thirty-two years and helped on the ranch as she could. Since her retirement in 2010 she has been the muscle to Charles’ brains on the ranch.
Charles is remembered as a warm, kind person especially by his many nieces and nephews. Since he did not have a family of his own, he acted as big kid who was always up for fun and games.

Charles passed away on October 8 at Avantara in Pierre as he was there for rehab. He was looking forward to returning home the week of October 18.
Charles was a life-time member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in White River. He was a member of the American Legion for sixty-five years. He was stalwart member of the Mellette County Senior Citizens. He served as president for several years and rarely missed a Monday card game.

Charles is survived by his wife, Arlene, his brother, Edward and numerous nieces and nephews. He was proceeded in death by his parents, stepmother Elsie, brothers Richard, Raymond and Emery and sisters Jessie (Alvin) Fuerst and Theresa (Pat) McDonald.

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