Long time Butte resident, noted musician, and golfer, Cliff Champeau passed away in the early hours of Friday, January 24, 2020 in St. James Healthcare.

Cliff will be most remembered for the great skill he exhibited with his guitar playing and on the golf course.

Self-taught on the guitar, in the late 50's, Cliff teamed up with several other young men from the area to form "The Renegades", a rock 'n' roll band that toured Western Montana, and is still remembered by Butte residence of that era. Cliff did a remarkable job in teaching himself to play a variety of other instruments but is most remembered for his abilities with the guitar.

In addition to music, Cliff was a golfer whose talent with a club was the envy of many members of the Butte Country Club, where he was a member for over 40 years. During the warmer months of the year, Cliff could be found at daybreak, engaged in the sport he so dearly loved.

Cliff was born in born in Belle Fourche, South Dakota on September 21, 1939. His parents were Stephan and Marjorie (Clem) Champeau. When cliff was still young, he moved with his parents and siblings to Butte, where his father worked in the mines and managed the, now long gone, Nine Mile Club, located south of Butte.

Cliff was educated at St. John's Parochial School and Boy's Central High School. He began his working years in the Butte Mines, where he worked until being employed at the ACM Smelter in Anaconda for 17 years. When the Smelter closed, he worked at the Montana Resources Concentrator until his retirement.

Cliff was preceded in death his parents; his sister, Cheryl Moody; and niece, Kimberly "Sis". Cliff is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sharon; his son Steven (Olympia) of Orange County, California; daughter, Kelly Serich of Butte; and sons, Scott Serich of Butte, and Craig (Missy) Moody of Polson, Montana. Cliff is also survived by his sister Debbie (Gene) Reynolds of Idaho Falls, Idaho; and his brothers-in-law, Kenny Moody and Gordon Lemons, both of Butte; his grandchildren Jonathan Champeau and Heather Champeau of California, Todd Schwichtenberg of Santa Clara, California, and Anne Reimann-Moody and Kaci Reimann-Moody of Missoula; and numerous nieces and nephews, who are the children of his sisters, Cheryl and Debbie.

We wish to thank the staff of St. James Healthcare for the excellent care they provided to Cliff and his family.

Funeral Services will be conducted on Friday, January 31, 2020, in the Duggan Dolan Mortuary Chapel at 11:00 am.