Charles Roy Poole, III

Charles R. Poole III (Chuck), age 69 of Russell, Ohio passed away on February 1, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family and friends. Chuck was born in Burlington, Iowa on November 10, 1956 to Charles R. Poole, Jr. and Kathleen (Oliver) Poole. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 39 years, June (Cook) Poole, who died in 2019, and their son Hank who died in infancy.

Chuck's childhood was spent at the family home in Burlington, Iowa. Chuck attended Burlington High School and graduated from Amarillo (Texas) High School in 1975 where he was an outstanding student and 2-year All-District baseball player. Chuck then attended Texas Tech University where he met June Cook, his enduring love and life companion. June and Chuck married in 1980 and had three boys: Charles Roy Poole IV (Chase), Henry (Hank), and Holden James. Chuck and June were closely bonded, fun-loving, and joyous. Their lust for life was infectious, and they were beloved by many friends and extended family members.

Chuck graduated from Texas Tech in 1981 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. After graduation from Tech, Chuck and June moved to Houston and Chuck embarked on a 36-year career with the Lubrizol Corporation where he moved quickly up the ladder and held various positions in Houston, Cleveland and Shanghai. His career culminated with a 5-year assignment to Shanghai as Vice President, Operations, Asia Pacific. Chuck brought a cooperative management style that emphasized a humanistic approach to the China office. One of Chuck's major career contributions was going above and beyond his executive responsibilities to build, nurture, and mentor a high-functioning management team in Shanghai. Under his leadership, the Shanghai team saw greater cohesion and success than ever before. Chuck was grateful to all the mentors at Lubrizol who were generous with their time and expertise, and inspired him to do the same for the next generation of managers.

Throughout his career, Chuck was always a goal-oriented leader and team-builder. Chuck had a lifelong passion for leadership rooted in his desire to help people achieve their goals, not only in his professional life but also in his personal relationships. He applied his devotion to creating a personal philosophy focused on the growth of the individuals in his life. While working at Lubrizol, Chuck received his Master's Degree in Finance from The University of Houston, Clear Lake. He extended his interest and acumen in finance by serving as a personal financial planner, helping friends and family members build financial portfolios to plan and realize their retirement dreams.

Sport and sportsmanship were major influences in Chuck's life and were instrumental in his development as a person. Chuck and his brother Jim were standout teammates on many teams while growing up, from Burlington Little League through Amarillo High School, always competing, challenging and supporting one another. As adults, Chuck and Jim had the time of their lives at the St. Louis Cardinals fantasy camp. What a thrill to hear the great Lou Brock shout out "POOLE BROTHERS!" when Chuck and Jim took the field. Chuck's baseball acumen continued throughout his adulthood; he was a member of many recreational softball and adult baseball teams. His athleticism extended to other sports as well. He was an avid and accomplished golfer, always working to improve his game. He was a dedicated runner and finished six marathons. His lifelong focus on sports and healthy competition contributed to the dedication and discipline he applied to many other aspects of his life.

Chuck's love for his sons was infinite. Chuck and June were very involved parents to Chase and Holden and served as coaches for baseball and co-chairs of their youth soccer leagues. They were active members of the West Geauga Recreational Council and West Geauga Community Joint Recreation Board. Chuck got his youth soccer referee license and was also commissioner of the boys' league in Friendswood, Texas. Chuck was later Commissioner for West Geauga travel soccer and chair of high school sports booster communities. Chuck and June were also involved in many other community service roles, and Chuck was West Geauga Schools Coordinator for the Destination Imagination program.

Chuck was a passionate world traveler, visiting more than 60 countries. He and June shared their globetrotting adventures and their appreciation and understanding of other cultures with Chase and Holden. From a very young age, the boys were widely travelled and began their own journeys to visit and discover other countries and cultures. During his time in China, Chuck developed a love and respect for Asian culture which extended to all parts of his life. After retirement, Chuck devoted himself to reconnecting with family, people, and places from his youth. He travelled to Texas, Iowa, and Virginia several times to hang out with old friends, visit old neighborhoods, and re-establish connections with places and people that were important in his life.

Chuck was also an accomplished chef and was famous among his friends and family for his love of entertaining and for thrilling them with his culinary creations. Chuck had a lifelong interest in music including wide-ranging influences such as The Beatles, 80's and 90's punk, grunge, and K-POP in the 2000's noting that his favorite band was Black Pink. Chuck was a cinephile, learning about filmmaking and analyzing films from all eras and genres. This interest extended to his formation and involvement in a film club where more than 100 films were watched and discussed. Chuck was also a writer; he wrote privately about many things, places, and people he knew. He was also known for his sense of humor and his streak of mischief. He was an excellent storyteller who could make a story last longer than it probably should have.

Following June's untimely passing, Chuck met Teresa Petronzio, who became his dearest friend and loving partner in the last years of his life. She was his adventure companion and his support in difficult times. Getting to know Teresa's wonderful family was a great joy in Chuck's final years. When Chuck's health declined, Teresa met every challenge, becoming his devoted caregiver, constant companion, and advocate.

The thread shining through all these examples from Chuck's life was his dedication to excellence and in working hard to be the best person he could be. He was extraordinarily thoughtful, intelligent, and cared deeply about other people. He was also a great listener, and actively engaged and encouraged the people in his life to find ways to meet their own goals. Whether as a son, brother, spouse, parent, partner, relative, work colleague, mentor or friend, Chuck was purposeful in his endeavors, and challenged himself and others to set and achieve personal goals. Chuck had tireless energy, and even in his last days wanted to keep his friends and family near, to share memories, and for everyone to know he was at peace.

Chuck is survived by his brother James (Carrie Sorrels), sons Chase (Ellen) and Holden (Hiliary), granddaughter June Marie, step-grandson Jaxon Dionis, step-mother Kathy Harris, step-sister Leigh Harris (Gary Thompson), numerous nieces and nephews, and his loving companion in recent years, Teresa Petronzio. Condolences and memories may be submitted to DeJohn Funeral Home. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests donations are made in Chuck's name to your favorite charity.