Charles T. Saari

I first met Charlie when he moved to Duluth to head up the St. Louis Co soil survey. His family hadn’t moved to town yet, so we had him over for pea soup supper. We were fellow ‘Finns’ and I graduated from Babbitt just down the road from his hometown of Embarrass. I always enjoyed his maturity and steadiness and willingness to help on anything! His wife, Kathy, daughter Julia and son Matt are very special to me…and now Charlie watch over us all and rest in peace.

I got to know Charlie while I was the District Conservationist with NRCS in Rochester, MN and Charlie was working out of our Area Office. Charlie had a wry sense of humor and was patient with my puns,

I got to know Charlie when he first came to SE MN working on both the Freeborn and Olmsted Co. Soil Surveys. Prior to that time, he may have worked as a field teck. for one of the canneries. The one skill he had that was rarely mentioned was that of a machinist. Even our geological mentor, whose first name was Joe was first to recognize this skill as he would commonly loan his drill rig to Charlie, knowing full well that that drill rig needed some additional attention. Charlie just naturally obliged. Charlie served us well and he will be remembered.

I have known Charlie since 1977. We worked together on Soil Survey Projects for the Soil Conservation Service in Stearns and Todd Counties. Also fished a lot with him over the years; including trips to Lake of the Woods and the Missouri River in North Dakota. This past July he caught the largest Walleye of his life at Lake of the Woods. It was a pleasure to work with him and be absorbed with his steadiness and thoroughness in all his work endeavors. I will miss him immensly, especially his practical approach to problems and his ability to figure out and fix “anything”. So long Charlie and please rest in peace.

I graduated from the U. just ahead of Charlie and worked for NRCS during the same years. We will miss him but remember him for his small smile. I had the privelege of netting Charlie’s big fish this past summer on Lake of the Woods, a moment I will always remember Charlie for. We would usually share stories from our sons being in Boy Scouts. To Charlie’s family, may you remember him as we will remember him. We wish you the best and will keep him in our thoughts and prayers.