Charles P. Stone

Charles P. “Big Time Charlie” Stone of Kenosha, passed away on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at Hospice House, surrounded by his three loving daughters.

He was born in Kenosha on January 18, 1940, the eldest son of Charles L. and Olga (Karach) Stone. Charles was raised in Kenosha, having attended St. Mary High School. He was employed by American Motors Corp. for 30 years, retiring in 1988.

Charles married Barbara Day of Kenosha in 1967, with whom he had two daughters, Teresa and Lara. In 1979, he married Jill Parker and together they had a daughter, Elizabeth.

Charles enjoyed experimenting and teaching his daughters about the wonders of the world and science while pushing them to think, question and learn. He was a free spirit and had an acute sense of humor, which he instilled in his daughters. He also passed on to them his love of music, playing classical, pop and his personal favorite, jazz, on the piano. He enjoyed among other things, tennis, fishing, chess, backgammon, science fiction, and crossword puzzles. He loved to pass the time playing card games such as bridge, gin, and pinochle with his buddies.

His most beloved activity, however, was billiards. He was one of the most respected pool players in Wisconsin and Illinois. His talent at pocket pool earned him the nickname “Big Time Charlie.” Charlie was the Wisconsin State straight pool champion at the age of 27 in 1967. In that same year, he went on to the U.S. Open Championships and set a then record for average run per inning. He later became an excellent 3-cushion billiard player. In the 1960s, he won an exhibition match in Kenosha against the late, great Minnesota Fats. In his later years, Charlie could be found at noon every day at Claw’s Billiards in Kenosha.

Left to cherish his memory are his three daughters, Teresa Lubkeman and Lara (Keith Nix) Stone, both of Mesquite, Texas, and Elizabeth Stone of Racine; his brothers David (Beverly) Stone of Salt Lake City, Utah; Greg (Gail Karabetsos) , and Steve (Patricia) Stone, both of Kenosha; and his sister, Mary (Kevin) Andrasko of Oshkosh. He is further survived by his granddaughter and two great-grandsons, many nieces and nephews, and friends too numerous to mention by name.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Greg’s wife, Crescentia (Bartholomay) Stone in 2006.