Charles (Chuck) Dempster

Charles Keith Dempster of Castle Rock, Colorado, passed away on May 8, 2023, his 81st birthday, of complications from Parkinson’s disease.

Chuck was born on May 8, 1942, in Neligh, Nebraska, to Dwight and Doris Dempster. He attended high school in Osmond, NE, and junior college in Norfolk, NE. Chuck served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps from 1959 to 1963 as a corpsman during the Cuban missile crisis. He then received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Houston and attended graduate business school at the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

Chuck had over 30 years’ experience in the natural gas and power industry. He held various management and executive positions with Enron Corporation and its predecessors between 1969 and 1986. He was president of Reliance Pipeline Company and executive vice president of Nicor Oil and Gas Corporation from 1986 to 1992. In 1993, he was appointed president of Aquila Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of Utilicorp Inc. where he was based in London, England from 1995-1999. Chuck retired in 2000 as chairman and chief executive officer of Aquila Energy Company/Utilicorp United. In addition, Chuck served on the boards of directors for Utilicorp United, Mark West Energy and Colorado Technical University.

Chuck attended Cherry Hills Community Church. In his free time, and after retirement, he enjoyed spending time with family, guys trips on his Harley V-Rod, playing golf, racing his various Porsches as a member of the Porsche Club of America’s Rocky Mountain Region, working on his meticulous landscaping and tinkering in the garage. Every morning started with a Starbucks “grande mocha with whip”.

Chuck is survived by his wife of 37 years, Linda, his children, Leslie (Chris) Sink, Yorktown, VA, Christopher (Debbi) Dempster, Rowayton, CT, and Lindsey Dempster, Denver, CO; grandchildren, Blake Dempster (John Ellis), Manhattan, NY, Brooke Dempster, Rowayton, CT, Charles Sink and Holle Sink, Yorktown, VA; and his sisters, Marlene Fleming, Norfolk, NE, and Nancy (Jack) Clyde, O’Neill, NE. Chuck was preceded in death by his sisters, Barbara Ollendick and Linda Howard.

Chuck was a wonderfully kind and loving son, brother, uncle, husband, father, and grandfather, generous with his time, talents and resources. His charm, wit and dry sense of humor will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

A celebration of life service will be held at Dixon Chapel at Cherry Hills Community Church on July 8, 2023 at 10:00 a.m., with a reception luncheon to follow.

Chuck’s family would like to thank Serenity House of Hunter’s Hill and Lumicare Hospice for their exceptional care and compassion.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research.