Charles Guercio, 90, died Thursday, June 5, 2014 at Hays Medical Center.

He was born April 20, 1924 in Blasedale, New York, the son of Samuel and Theresa (Catalano) Guercio. He served in the United States Navy in WWII on the USS Lake Champlain. After the war he graduated from photography school in Dallas, Texas.

He moved to Hays, Kansas, where he worked as a photographer and soon opened his own photography studio. He married Peg Green in June of 1949. She preceded him in death in December of 1995. They operated Guercio Studios in Hays for many years preserving weddings and family ties along with other subjects through his work over the years.

He married Rose (Pfeifer-Windholz) Guercio on August 14, 1999. He moved to Victoria where they enjoyed retirement and family.  Together they traveled Kansas and took extended trips to visit relatives.  They shared a love for taking beautiful pictures of the old farmsteads, birds and churches.

Survivors include his wife, Rose, Victoria; a brother, Jake Guercio, Hutchinson, and one sister, Sandy Guercio, Buffalo, NY.; one stepson, Carl Windholz and wife, Valorie, Wichita; two step daughters, Jane Windholz, Wichita and Rhoda Urban and husband, Jerry, Victoria; six step grandchildren, Candy Miller and husband, Chris, Kansas City, Heather Smith, Wichita, Tammy Batt and husband, Tim, Russell, Heather Arasmith and husband, Chad, McCook, NE, James Wittman and wife, Jennifer, Hays, Jeremy Urban, Dallas,TX; and 12 step great grandchildren, Alex Richardson and Kyla Smith, Raven, Kyra, Kael,and Sawyer Arasmith, Skylar Wittman, Taryn and Tayler Batt, Chase, Lane and Jersey Wittman.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Peg, and four brothers, Joseph, Salvator, Vincent, and Anthony Guercio.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at The Basilica of St. Fidelis in Victoria, Kansas. Burial will be in the St. Fidelis Cemetery. Visitation will be on Monday from 6:00 until 9:00 pm and on Tuesday from 1:00 pm until service time, all at The Basilica of St. Fidelis. A Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:30 pm followed by a parish vigil service at 7:00, both on Monday at The Basilica.

Memorials are suggested to The Basilica of St. Fidelis or to masses, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com