Chuck Markulis

Man, that is sad. I knew he was having problems as We will be visiting hard times next month. I did not know Chuck personally but he was obviously someone who loved the game and was good for the game. The don't make men like him anymore. God bless his family.
 
JAM said:
I am sad to report that we just received a phone call informing us that Chuck Markulis passed away on the 26th of June from a digestive tract infection. May he rest in peace.

JAM
Click to expand...

Wow!

My heart goes out to Chuck's friends & family. He was a good guy and did much to help many a poolplayer in need.

I'll miss you Chuck.
 
The worst news possible! Chuck was the best friend a pool player could ever have! He loved pool and he loved ALL the players. He would do nearly anything to help a player out, with money, a place to stay, and most of all his loyal friendship. To this day, no one ever put on bigger pool room tournaments then Chuck and his son Mike. They were adding $10,000 to events in their room 20 years ago.

We would attract world class fields too. EVERYONE came to the Hard Times events in Bellflower back then. The list of champions is a who's who of pool greatness. Buddy, Earl, Nick, Swanee, Roger Griffis, Dennis Hatch, David Howard. And Chuck paid them every cent in cold hard cash. I can remember handing those fat envelopes to players and their eyes just lit up.

The pool world lost a great friend and supporter. I hope many players will find a way to attend his funeral. If anyone knows the details please let us know.
 
jay helfert said:
The worst news possible! Chuck was the best friend a pool player could ever have! He loved pool and he loved ALL the players. He would do nearly anything to help a player out, with money, a place to stay, and most of all his loyal friendship. To this day, no one ever put on bigger pool room tournaments then Chuck and his son Mike. They were adding $10,000 to events in their room 20 years ago.

We would attract world class fields too. EVERYONE came to the Hard Times events in Bellflower back then. The list of champions is a who's who of pool greatness. Buddy, Earl, Nick, Swanee, Roger Griffis, Dennis Hatch, David Howard. And Chuck paid them every cent in cold hard cash. I can remember handing those fat envelopes to players and their eyes just lit up.

The pool world lost a great friend and supporter. I hope many players will find a way to attend his funeral. If anyone knows the details please let us know.
Click to expand...

Chuck especially loved the rounders like Keith and Ronnie. When the hustlers would come in and start woofing, Chuck was like a little kid. He'd be laughing and chuckling about all the trash talking going on. He was so unlike most room owners. Man we had some great games at Hard Times. That place really earned it's reputation as a gamblers hang out. For all the years Chuck owned that place, any player who came to town could get action at Hard Times. Chuck would make sure of that.
 
Tom, Im so sorry for your loss

Tom In Cincy said:
As soon as the details are completed we will post them.

I've lost a good friend and it makes me very sad.
Click to expand...


Tom,

Do you know the status of the guy who was driving the car? I hope he gets punished severely.


Take Care,
Andrea

I did not know Chuck. But I sure did hear about Hard Times quite a bit!!!!!!

R.I.P Chuck
 
R.I.P Chuck

Tom In Cincy said:
As soon as the details are completed we will post them.

I've lost a good friend and it makes me very sad.
Click to expand...

To Mike, Sac Tom, and the family and friends of Chuck Markulis.

Please allow me to share with you, a few words I put together a few years ago after the loss of my best friend, Jerry Glosser.
I'm sure Jerry won't mind adding Chuck's name to this poem. They were both unforgetable human beings.



ODE (OWED) TO CHUCK AND JERRY

As family and loved ones cried, we watched him fade away,
And hoped and prayed a miracle would somehow let him stay.
For knowing him was such a joy, how fortunate were we,
To know the heart so full of love he shared with you and me.

But God saw fit to take him, and though it's hard to bear,
Like giving up a piece of you and wishing you were there.
In fields of clover bright and green, like Heaven sure must be,
And see him walking with the Lord, the pain is gone, he's free.

We'll not forget that smiling face, we' ll keep the memory strong,
And think of all the good times and just try to carry on.
And if we need to shed a tear or ever wonder why,
God took his soul, but in our hearts, our friend will never die.


Dick McMorran
April 11, 2006- Amended to add Chuck Markulis, June 28, 2008
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: JAM
jay helfert said:
The worst news possible! Chuck was the best friend a pool player could ever have! He loved pool and he loved ALL the players. He would do nearly anything to help a player out, with money, a place to stay, and most of all his loyal friendship. To this day, no one ever put on bigger pool room tournaments then Chuck and his son Mike. They were adding $10,000 to events in their room 20 years ago.

We would attract world class fields too. EVERYONE came to the Hard Times events in Bellflower back then. The list of champions is a who's who of pool greatness. Buddy, Earl, Nick, Swanee, Roger Griffis, Dennis Hatch, David Howard. And Chuck paid them every cent in cold hard cash. I can remember handing those fat envelopes to players and their eyes just lit up.

The pool world lost a great friend and supporter. I hope many players will find a way to attend his funeral. If anyone knows the details please let us know.
Click to expand...

Here's a fairly recent picture of Chuck -- 2007, subject to check -- courtesy of Tom in Cincy. He is posing with two well-known pool champions (Dennis Orcullo and Gande Valle) holding those fat envelopes you mentioned.

JAM
 

Attachments

  • Dennis_Chuck_Gandy[1].jpg
    Dennis_Chuck_Gandy[1].jpg
    39.6 KB · Views: 198
JAM said:
Here's a fairly recent picture of Chuck -- 2007, subject to check -- courtesy of Tom in Cincy. He is posing with two well-known pool champions (Dennis Orcullo and Gande Valle) holding those fat envelopes you mentioned.

JAM
Click to expand...

Thanks Jam, a good man is gone, he sure deserved better.

Dick
 
Last edited:
Sad news indeed

I faintly remember Chuck from my years at Hardtimes Bellflower from 1988 thru 1992. I was just starting to really get into the game of pool at that time. I do know that he was good to the players and it showed in the number of champions that would frequent Hardtimes.

I am very sorry to hear of his passing and wish all of his family and friends strength in dealing with this sad news.

Kevin
 
I had a cue business back in the early nineties, where I would sell Meucci, McDermott, Huebler, etc to different pool rooms in Southern Cal.

Chuck was always accomodating and friendly with me, sometimes buying more than he really needed.

Last time I saw Chuck in Reno, I pulled him aside and thanked him for
those times when he purchased cues and didn't really need to.

He just shrugged it off like, you stopped me to tell me that?

Chuck was always a friend and I am really saddened to hear that he passed.

Danny
 
Bump in case others are interested to hear about Chuck.

I sent a flower arrangement to Chuck's funeral services. I wish I could attend!
 
OBIT from his current home town.

Charles "Chuck" Markulis died June 26 in Grass Valley. He was 71.

Visitation and chapel service will be held at 3 p.m., Wednesday, July 2, followed by a graveside burial at 4:30 p.m. at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes. A celebration of life will follow at Antes Restaurant on 7th Street in San Pedro.

Mr. Markulis was born Jan. 30, 1937, in Pennsylvania to George and Terpsihori Markulis, originally from Crete, Greece. He was a fullback for San Pedro High School football and made All-City. He went on to play football for Everette Junior College in Washington where he made All-American. He then went on to work in the music business, where he produced several hit records, including "Love You So" by Ron Holden, which spent several weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts. He owned several restaurants in Southern California and became a Billiard Tournament Promoter at Varsity Billiards in Norwalk, Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, Hard Times Billiards in La Habra, Hard Times Billiards in San Diego and Hard Times Billiards in Sacramento.

He was deeply loved by the many, many people he touched in the billiards world and will be greatly missed.

Mr. Markulis is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Karen Markulis of Grass Valley; granddaughters Rachel and Sarah Markulis; brothers and sisters-in-law John and Anita Markulis of Palos Verdes, Michael and Alicia Markulis of San Pedro, Nick and Nina Markulis of Costa Mesa, and Jimmy and Debra Markulis of San Pedro, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, George Markulis; mother, Terpsihori Markulis, and wife, Marquita Markulis.

Arrangements are under the direction of Chapel of the Angels Mortuary in Grass Valley.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top