Charles (Chuck) Kent McBride

Charles (Chuck) Kent McBride, age 77, beloved brother, uncle, and friend, died on Feb. 16, 2025, after a short illness in Lincoln.

Chuck was born on Aug. 30, 1947, to George and Mabel (Pepper) McBride in Grand Island and grew up in Belgrade. He graduated from Belgrade High School in 1963 and received his Bachelor of Education in 1967 from Kearney State College. After college, Chuck began teaching in Wood River and continued in Sterling, Colo., while obtaining his Master’s Degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. This degree led him on the path of working with at risk youth in Colorado, as well as Kearney and Hastings in Nebraska.

While living in Colorado, Chuck built and nurtured a lifelong love for the mountains with their aspen trees in the fall, ski slopes in the winter, and hiking in the summer. During this time, he included a memorable backpacking trip to Europe.

After working with youth in Colorado, Chuck made the decision to move to Lexington and open a one-of-a-kind store, Heritage House Gift Shop. He formed lifelong friendships during this time and enjoyed spending time with his sister, Pat and her family. He was well-known for his sense of humor and his generosity to the community. He also continued to travel by buying a Winnebago RV and taking his father, George, to visit both coasts.

Following the closure of Heritage House, Chuck would travel back to the mountains and work at Randy Martin's Plum Creek Shoe Store in Estes Park, Colo., during the summer seasons. It was during this time that Chuck received the life-changing gift of sobriety at Harmony Foundation, Inc. a residential addiction treatment center in Estes Park. For the rest of his life, Chuck credited Harmony Foundation and Randy with saving his life.

Chuck chose to repay that tremendous gift by helping numerous others gain their sobriety through Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The number of lives and the friends Chuck impacted through this program is impossible to determine. He credited his AA family with his continued sobriety while residing in Lincoln.

Chuck is survived by his beloved sister, Pat (Ray) Ehlers of Lincoln; nephew, Brent (Laura Lee) Ehlers of Greeley, Colo.; niece, Trish Ehlers of Palatine, Ill.; and nephew, Britt (Megan) Ehlers of Lincoln; great-nieces and nephews, Rafe (Renee) & Ryanne Ehlers - Charlie (who was named after Chuck) and Ellie Henry, Lizzie, Addie, and Ben Ehlers; and great-great niece, Emryn Ehlers.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, George and Mabel McBride; and his grandparents.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m. at Butherus-Maser and Love Chapel, 4040 A Street in Lincoln. In lieu of flowers, family asks memorials be made to Lincoln AA Central Office, 2748 S Street, Suite AA, Lincoln, NE 68503.