Chuck Thomas Kowaleski – Obituary and Assessment Call

Charles (Chuck) Thomas Kowaleski passed away at his home in Salado, Texas on March 23, 2020 from brain cancer. He was born on October 3, 1955 to Casey and Donna Kowaleski in Rantoul, Illinois. He was proceeded in death by both parents. He is survived by his wife, Karen (Raub), sister Barbara (Payne) and brother David Kowaleski, along with nieces and nephews.

Chuck graduated from Killeen High School in 1973. He received a Bachelor of Science degree (Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences) from Texas A&M Univesity in 1977. In 1979, Chuck received a Master of Science Degree from Sul Ross State University. Chuck was a Peace Corp Volunteer in Liberia West Africa from 1980-1982. After earning a teaching degree, Chuck taught high school biology at Killeen High School from 1985-1990.

Chuck started his TPWD career in 1990 as a Coastal Fisheries Technician in Seabrook. He then transferred over as one of two newly created Urban Fish and Wildlife Biologists in the Houston area in 1993. Chuck later took a job at Austin HQ in 1999 to manage Project WILD teacher trainings. He created and produced the first electronic learning versions of Project WILD and Proyecto WILD for the U.S. and was awarded a certificate at the national Project WILD meeting in Jackson, WY in 2001. Later that year, he became the TPWD Farm Bill Coordinator, working directly with the NRCS in Temple. He worked in this position for the last 18 years, retiring on August 31, 2019.

During his career Chuck served in a number of important roles dealing with conservation issues at a national level. These include Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' national EQIP Farm Bill Chair, as well as a working member of numerous other committees involved with the farm bill. Chuck was also a National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative working committee member for the last 6 years and in NBCI's general committee for most of the last 18 years. Chuck has received many accolades for his hard work and dedication to conservation including the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Wildlife Biologist of the Year Award in 2014 and the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Conservation Science Award in 2017.

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

MUTUAL ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 549
Del Valle, Texas 78617

TO: ALL MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT MUTUAL ASSOCIATION

SUBJECT:     Assessment Call: Chuck Kowaleski #1072
DATE:             April1, 2020
AMOUNT:      $20.00
DUE:                May 1, 2020

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Mutual Association (TPW Mutual Association) regrets to inform you of the death of one of our members, Charles (Chuck) Kowaleski.

Chuck became a member of the TPW Mutual Association on June 8th, 2010. He retained his membership up until his death on March 23rd, 2020. A check in the amount of $5,000 was delivered to his wife Karen Raub-Kowaleski on April 1st, 2020.

An assessment in the amount of $20.00 will be necessary to bring the policy fund back into balance to have payments on hand for other members in case of death. Please make this payment by the due date listed above.

Sincerely,

Jon Purvis, Treasurer
Texas Parks & Wildlife Mutual Association

If you have any questions regarding the TPWD Mutual Association, please contact:
President:  Vacant
Vice-president: Dennis Gissell (512) 389-4407, dennis.gissell@tpwd.texas.gov
Secretary: Vacant
Treasurer: Jon Purvis (512) 389-8193, jon.purvis@tpwd.texas.gov