Paul E Huebler

Paul Edward Huebler, age 89 of Linn, passed away on Wednesday, June 8, 2016, at Linn Living and Rehab.

Paul was born May 14, 1927, in Chamois, a son to the late August Charles and Della (Bogle) Huebler.

Paul attended school in Chamois and was of the catholic faith. He served his country in the United States Army.

Paul, the youngest of eight children, developed a knack for woodworking at an early age because his father and grandfather were both cabinetmakers. Paul also developed a love for the game of pool. Unfortunately, an accident at a young age kept him from pursuing a career as a billiards player. However, it did not stop him from owning a billiards room in Chamois and sponsoring many tournaments there. It was at his billiards room that he met Harold Schmidt, who was the owner of the A.E. Schmidt Company, a manufacturer of billiard supplies in St. Louis. In 1958, Paul was offered a job with them and later became their national sales representative where he built a loyal client base in many Midwestern pool halls.

In 1965, Paul surprised the Schmidt's with the news that he was going to be a Catholic Missionary in Papua, New Guinea. While in New Guinea, Paul supervised natives there for 5 years in a lumber mill and this is where he learned about different types of exotic woods.

Paul came back to the United States in 1970 and immediately resumed his job with A.E. Schmidt Company. While Paul was in New Guinea the movie "The Hustler" came out and regenerated billiard play throughout the country. It seemed every pool player had to have a two-piece cue exactly like the one Minnesota Fats used to lick Fast Eddy in the movie.

In 1973, Paul left the Schmidt's to start Huebler Industries in Linn. The Schmidt family helped him secure a loan and were also among his first customers.

Paul's cues were known as "the straightest handcrafted cues on the market" and they sold for anywhere from $54 to several thousand dollars. Pool players from as far away as Germany, Japan, Russia and Australia have used his cues. Paul also served as President of the Billiards Congress of America, a Colorado Springs, Colorado based trade organization from 1982-1985.

Paul is survived by a niece and many nephews, as well as a special friend, Mike Poindexter and his wife Gail of Montgomery City.

In addition to his parents, Paul was preceded in death by four brothers, Thomas, Boyd, John and Floyd Huebler and three sisters, Mary Townley, Goldean Huebler, and Lydia Oidtman.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 13, 2016, at St. George Catholic Church in Linn.

Mass of Christian Burial will be follow at 11:00 a.m. with Fr. Daniel Merz as the celebrant. Interment will be in the Deer Creek Cemetery in Chamois with full military honors.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the St George Church Capital Campaign Fund.