A Hero in Life Becomes a Hero of Gratitude
Chuck Arentzen's Gift Provides Over 50 Scholarships to Orediggers
From saving airplane passengers' lives to serving his country, Chuck Arentzen was a hero. As a final gesture, Chuck gave back to the Montana Tech Foundation for helping him find his passion and to help future generations find theirs, too.
the Montana Tech Foundation received a gift from the estate of Charles "Chuck" Arentzen that will provide scholarships to students pursuing four-year degrees.
Born in North Dakota, Chuck served his country in the United States Navy during World War II. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he was stationed in the Philippines. On May 6, 1942, he was captured on Corregidor Island after Gen. Wainwright surrendered his troops. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW.
Upon his return to the United States, he was honorably discharged from the Navy and enrolled at Montana Tech School of Mines. He received a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering in 1950 and met and married the love of his life, Margueritte (Kane), in 1951. He became a successful extractive metallurgical engineer with Anaconda Copper Company, receiving several patents for his innovative work.
In 1965, Chuck survived the United Airlines Flight 227 plane crash in Salt Lake City, Utah. He received a commendation for saving passengers' lives by helping to extinguish flames after the fiery crash.
In 1970 he was awarded an Honorary Professional Degree from the Montana Tech Foundation for his contributions to the field of metallurgy. Chuck and Margueritte moved to Tucson in 1968, sharing the rest of their lives with many neighbors.
"Chuck was a humble, hardworking extractive metallurgical engineer who credited the Montana Tech Foundation with helping him find his passion," said his friend Darren Clausen. "Attending Montana Tech on the G.I. Bill, after spending four years as a prisoner of war in Chinese Manchuria during World War II, was the opportunity he needed to put him on a path to a successful life. It was important to him to provide that same opportunity to future students of Montana Tech."
"Through this gift, we've been able to offer scholarships to over 50 students who will begin pursuing their educational goals in the fall of 2018," said Chancellor Don Blackketter. "the Montana Tech Foundation is known for attracting purposeful and practical, hardworking students who want to make a difference in the world. Mr. Arentzen made a powerful endorsement of a the Montana Tech Foundation education through his generous gift and, at the same time, made a powerful investment in the future of the students who will receive his scholarship. I'm amazed by his personal story and by his courage, and wish I could have had the opportunity to have known him and thank him for providing these scholarships."
Invest in Students' Futures
Did the Montana Tech Foundation inspire your passion and successful career? You can help do the same for future students with a gift in your will to the Montana Tech Foundation. Contact Luke Meyer, MSPR at 406-496-4144 or lmeyer@mtech.edu to learn how impactful this simple gift can be.