Dr. Charles W Guildner, II

Dr. Charles W. "Chuck" Guildner 1932 – 2026

Dr. Charles W. "Chuck" Guildner, a longtime resident of Snohomish County, dedicated anesthesiologist, medical pioneer, accomplished documentary photographer, and lifelong sailor, passed away peacefully on July 26, 2026. He was 94.

Born in 1932 and raised in Hastings, Nebraska, Chuck developed an early, enduring curiosity about the world around him. He was an Eagle Scout. In 1960, he married the love of his life, Martha "Diane" (Hansen) Guildner. Together, they shared 66 years of devotion, family, and adventures. Chuck pursued his undergraduate education at Hastings College before earning his medical degree from the University of Nebraska. Following his postgraduate specialization in Anesthesiology at the University of Wisconsin, Chuck and Diane moved west, settling in Everett, Washington, in 1961.

For 30 years, Chuck served his community as a deeply trusted anesthesiologist, bringing steady comfort and care to thousands of patients in their most vulnerable moments. Beyond the operating room, Chuck made monumental, historic contributions to public health and emergency medicine. As a passionate advocate for emergency care and an American Heart Association consultant, he was instrumental in developing the foundational EMS program in Everett. Chuck was a dedicated researcher and pioneer in CPR training and choking first aid. His landmark 1976 medical study on airway obstruction proved that chest thrusts were vastly superior to traditional techniques for victims of choking - a breakthrough that reshaped international resuscitation guidelines for decades. He also spearheaded community public safety initiatives, helping design local training programs to ensure life-saving bystander CPR skills were accessible to everyday citizens.

Upon retiring from medicine in 1987, Chuck embarked on a quiet second act that perfectly combined his artistic eye and innate spirit of adventure. In 1990, he began documenting the changing landscapes and rural traditions of the American West, primarily across Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. Every year from April to July, Chuck lived on the road, logging hundreds of miles in his camper van. Traveling through small, rural areas, he followed leads and networked with locals to find ordinary farmers and ranchers living "lives of tradition." Chuck captured photos almost daily on his travels before returning home to spend the winter months carefully developing his new negatives. He painstakingly hand-crafted museum-quality silver gelatin contact and enlarged prints in his darkroom for his masterwork series, “The Heartland: Lives of Tradition.”

While initially drawn to landscapes, Chuck's focus quickly shifted to the people he encountered, capturing the enduring spirit and vitality of a lifestyle that is gradually disappearing. His artistic curiosity also took him globally, resulting in celebrated photographic series from Mexico and Cuba, striking color images of ginkgo leaves, and intimate, close-up views of water-sculpted sandstone found right here in Washington's San Juan Islands. His deliberate, respectful process earned his work publication in Nebraska Life Magazine and Lenswork, and a place in more than 20 exhibitions across California, Iowa, Nebraska, Washington, and Wyoming. Today, his lifetime legacy is permanently secured, with the Great Plains Art Museum serving as the repository for his photographs, negatives, and archives. His masterworks are held in 10 permanent institutional collections—including the U.S. Library of Congress, Hastings College, the Museum of Nebraska Art, the Sheldon Museum of Art, and the Durham Museum—as well as in cherished private collections. Chuck often noted that the quiet discipline of standing watch at sea, combined with his medical background, taught him the profound patience required to truly see people and honor their raw human spirit.

Beyond the darkroom and the clinic, Chuck’s soul belonged to the water. A passionate sailor and a member of the Cruising Club of America since June 1985, he began exploring the islands and inlets of the Pacific Northwest in the 1960s. His love for the sea culminated in a memorable Pacific crossing from La Conner to Tahiti alongside his son, Charlie. Whether navigating open ocean swells or cruising local tides, Chuck approached the helm with the same humble, steady presence he brought to every facet of his life.

Chuck lived life as a quiet, grand journey filled with empathy, exploration, and deep humility. He will be deeply missed on the docks, on the backroads of the heartland, and at the head of his beautiful family.

Chuck is survived by his beloved wife, Diane Guildner; His sister Ann Piehl and her husband Don; his children: Charlie and his wife Debbie, Julie Badham and her husband Todd, and Ted and his wife Onjana; his 8 cherished grandchildren; and his 12 great-grandchildren, along with nieces and nephews, all of whom brought immense joy to his life.

Service Details: A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Christ the King Lutheran Church, located at 1305 Pine Ave, Snohomish, WA 98290. All friends, colleagues, and shipmates are welcome to attend. A fellowship reception with light refreshments will follow the service at the church.

For those unable to attend in person, the service will be available via live stream on the church website at ctksnohomish.org. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to a charity of your choice supporting local EMS training, rural preservation, the fine arts, or maritime history.