Charles Agnes

Charles Agnes, age 92, of Fosston, MN, passed away on Monday, January 20th, at his home. A memorial service will be planned for the spring. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com. 

Charles Joseph Agnes was born on August 5, 1932, in Fosston, Minnesota to Nicholas and Martha (Brandt) Agnes. He was baptized and confirmed in the St. Charles Church near Trail, Minnesota.

He attended the school in Trail through the eighth grade. He then went to the Gonvick school for one year and then transferred to Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minnesota. He graduated high school there in 1951 and junior college in 1953. He attended St. John’s in Collegeville and then Mayville State College where he earned his professional teacher’s certificate. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1971.

He spent 30 years teaching elementary school, first in Park River, North Dakota and then Fertile, Minnesota. He served as Elementary Principal in Fertile for four years, one year at St. Philip’s Catholic School in Bemidji, Minnesota and interim Director of a children’s home in Duluth for one year. 

In addition to the teaching duties, he was advisor to the Future Teacher’s of America, Foreign Students Association, and initiated the Student Aide Corps.

Charles was active in local and Divisional PTA and elected Minnesota State President. He was voted Teacher of the Year in Fertile in 1972 and Teacher of Excellence in Minnesota in 1973. He was also listed in the book of outstanding teachers in the U.S. in 1973.

During his youth he worked for various farmers in his area, the egg station in Fosston, the drive-in theater, and the sheet metal shop in Fosston. 

Summers found him working at Northwood Children’s Home in Duluth as counselor and houseparent, at the concession stand at Lengby Lake, and caretaker of Camp Corbett on Elbow Lake. 

For fifty years he worked as a teacher in religious education and confirmation program in Catholic churches in Trail, Fosston, Mentor, Bejou, Beaulieu, Naytahwaush, and White Earth. He also participated and directed several TEC and other retreats.

He retired from teaching in 1990 in order to give full-time care to his brother who was crippled with MS. Together they bought a cabin on Pine Lake where they hosted outings for many cousins, nieces, nephews, and the grands and great grands. He always seemed happiest when surrounded by family and especially the little folks.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated in his honor at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fosston at a later date. Since he donated his body to the University of North Dakota Deeded Body Program in Grand Forks, he will be interred in St. Charles Catholic Cemetery at a later date.

He is survived by a younger brother, Ernest, of Fosston; and a sister, Bernice of Merrillville, IN, as well as nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Nicholas and Martha; a sister, Marcella; and two brothers, Harold and Clarence.