Monday, July 23, 2018

Maxime "Max" DuCharme, Commandant of Linton Hall Military School, Passes Away

Maxime "Max" L. DuCharme, Jr. who was Linton Hall Military School's fourth and last Commandant, passed away on or about June 11, 2018. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on June 21 at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Bozeman, Montana. Mr. DuCharme was ninety years old. Born on December 17, 1927, he was himself a Linton Hall alumnus, having attended during seventh and eighth grade.

In 1946, he graduated from Belmont Abbey, a high school founded by Benedictine monks (and later a four-year college) in Belmont, N.C.. Belmont Abbey's 1946 yearbook, the Spire, below his name bears the quote "The cynosure of neighboring eyes," a quote from John Milton's 1645 L'Allegro. He is described in the yearbook as "A happy-go-lucky fellow, handsome, plays football, and loves a good bull session. His effervescent friendliness and his gentlemanly manner [have] won many friends for him during his past four years at the Abbey. He is a cadet Lieutenant."

At age 18, after graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines, and trained at Parris Island, S.C. and Camp LeJeune, N.C.. As a Marine, he was sent to Trinidad, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and various European countries, and later participated in the 1950 landing in Inchon, Korea. He was later Operations Chief of the Engineering section of the Equipment branch, and did a tour of duty on the Japanese island of Okinawa. He married and had a son, then in 1959 became a Marine recruiter in Traverse City, Michigan. He retired from the USMC with the rank of Master Sargeant. A proficient marksman, he was awarded at least two NRA medals.

In 1965 he became Linton Hall's fourth and final Commandant. After the school dropped the military program, he continued at Linton Hall, teaching "Outdoor Education, Conservation and Ecology" (OECW) which apparently is quite similar to the field hikes of LHMS.

His wife, Agnes Louise, passed away in 2011 at age 80.


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Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle and various other sources.


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7 comments:

  1. Wow, he was a lhms alumnus...never knew that til just now. Makes sense...

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  2. I remember Sister Jo Ann farting the unlucky cadets that cross her way particularity in the mornings

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  3. Rest in peace Mr. DuCharme. I remember you as one of the fairest, most level headed adults at the school, and always quick with a quip. Not many of us (maybe I'm the only one!!) where able to leave the school, make it to town, and then back again without being noticed. But a friend snitched on me, and I got busted for the escapade. They made me tell them how I accomplished it in order to avoid suspension.
    Good memories, and even though I lost my rifle and related practices when I got busted, Mr. Ducharme still let me compete in Military Day at the end of the year, and I won the rifle competition!! One of the my most proud accomplishments at the school, despite the headwinds I faced. I do remember you Mr. Ducharme, and may you rest in the peace that you solidly deserve.

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  4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  5. I too went to an graduated LHMS, class of 1970. A very significant emotional experience in my life.almost 50 years later I find myself torn between that was the best thing that happened to me or that was some really fucked up shit I went though....

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  6. I went to LH from 1980-83, 5th-8th grade. I was in B co. all 4 yrs with Mr Laniac then Sis. Mary Patricia as dorm monitors. I of course remember Max and am sad to hear of his passing and finding out he was an Alum of LH explains how he ended up there. I also have mixed memories and feelings of my time there, I do know of the "raz-a-mataz" first hand done by Bill and the nun that taught 5th grade, ouch my scalp hurts and is that my hair in their hands. I don't remember Sis. Maria the nurse as being mean but I do remember the C co. dorm monitor who was a nun (but not her name) who also ran the school store being a fiery Hispanic woman who was always angry. Sis. JoAnn was HQ co. monitor and art teacher, Mother Teresa the principal and a few teachers like Ms Kribe, Ms Forester, and of course Ms Gibadlo who I remember as a very gorgeous woman. Max's wife was the receptionist, I remember for a year or two that there was a young man who watched the playground and drove a Camero who's name I don't remember and then there was "Doc" Ascartez-not sure how to spell his name. He was a psychologist who taught reproductive education. I did have a few good friends while there but didn't keep in contact with them after graduation, I did enjoy the outdoor activities like camping, orienteering runs, and reclamation work with Max. I was B co. guide-on in 6th grade and was on the traveling parade unit. I remember a parade in DC, Cheverly MD, and Quantico USMC base. In 8th grade I was the basketball team manager (cuz I stunk at bball) which got me out of a few classes. And what about all the ghost stories, Col. Lintons ghost, the floating nuns in the chained up chapel over by the swimming pool? But my horror story there was being continuously molested by two older boys who were my cadet co. commander and ex. officer in my first year. The school knew it happened because at the end of the year they demoted them to privates and moved them to C co. without an explanation. And what probably takes the cake an proves this is that on my graduation day "Doc" stopped me when it was just the two of us and tearfully apologized to me for what happened too me and that nothing was done about it, in a panic I played it off like I didn't know what he was talking about. I can't say I was/am not affected by it but this is the first time I have told anyone of this. I am not sure how I found my way to this page but I feel somewhat releaved to get this out even if no one reads this. Thank you all, Ski, that's what Max called me

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  7. I was there in 1975 and 1976 I remember him. RIP

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