Chuck Jabaley wore many hats well
By Mike Harper
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A Fannin County native, Chuck Jabaley, attended elementary school locally and West Fannin High School as a freshman in 1966-67. His parents, John and Elizabeth Jabaley were big fans of the Baylor College Preparatory School in Chattanooga and enrolled Chuck there at the beginning of his sophomore year in the fall of 1967. Chuck’s two older brothers, Michael and Fred, and his cousin Ron had attended Baylor, and the Jabaley families were pleased with the quality of the education received by their sons there.
The Baylor School was a College Preparatory and Military School for boys from 1917 through 1971. It discontinued the military program in 1971 and became a co-educational school in 1985. At the time of Chuck’s enrollment in 1967, the school was renowned for its strong academics and strict disciplinary environment. It remains one of the outstanding academic schools in the South today.
Chuck’s father died unexpectedly in November of 1967, only two months after he began his time at Baylor. Chuck wanted to return home, but his mother’s ‘tough love’ prevailed and he remained at Baylor to finish the job that he had started.
At Baylor, Chuck was an active student and military leader and outstanding athlete. A knee injury ended his football career early in his senior season. The old proverb that “every cloud has a silver lining” came into play, however, because the football injury gave Chuck more time to work on his golf game.
Following his graduation from Baylor, Chuck attended undergraduate school at the University of North Carolina and later graduated at the top of his law school class from the University of Georgia in 1976. Chuck then practiced law in Atlanta where he met his wife of 38 years, Becky. In 1987, he accepted the position of Corporate Attorney for Life Care Centers of America and moved his family of four to Cleveland, Tennessee.
Chuck’s accomplishments were many and he soon received the nickname “The King” from his many friends and associates.
His golf game improved steadily, and, by mid-1980s, he was one of the best amateur players in the South, perhaps the entire nation. Although possessing the skills to have a go at professional golf, Chuck chose to retain his amateur status throughout his career.
His first victory in a sanctioned, competitive golf event came as a member of the Tennessee Golf Association Two-Man Scramble Golf Tournament in 1989. His biggest personal thrill came in 1992 when he won the Atlanta Country Club’s Club Championship and had his name etched on the Championship Trophy alongside the name of his idol, Robert Tyre (Bobby) Jones on display in the lobby of the club.
Chuck was one of an elite group of amateurs to win the TGA Tennessee Open Tournament Championship. He won this event in 1994 over a field of the best professional and amateur golfers in the state. Previous winners include professionals Gibby Gilbert, Mason Rudolph and Loren Roberts. The rigors of travel to play in golf events was eased in 1996 when he earned his pilot’s license and flew himself and friends to golf destinations all around the country.
He was the runner-up in the Tennessee Amateur in 1995 and had four other top five finishes in the event. He finished second in the 2006 Senior Match Play Tournament. Championships won include the Chattanooga Open in 1994, Lake Tanzi Pro-Am in Crossville, Tennessee, in 1995, Club Championships at the Cleveland, Tennessee, Country Club in 1990, 1993, 1995, 2003, 2004 and 2005, Club Championships at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee, in 1995 and 1996, and Senior Club Championships at the Honors Course in 2007 and 2008
Chuck faced a formidable challenge in 2008 when he was stricken with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He waged a 10-year heroic battle with the disease before passing away at his home in Cleveland May 2, 2018.
The legacy of Chuck Jabaley was best summarized in his obituary with the words “Chuck wore many hats throughout his life and wore them well, excelling in everything he took on such as being an attorney, farmer, golfer, outdoorsman and pilot…..He often spoke of becoming a teacher when he retired. It was a dream thought to be unrealized. But for those who knew and loved him, he was always a teacher. He taught us all about truth and honor, making the right choices in life, helping people in need, and the importance of friendships. His final and most significant lesson spanned a period of ten years – Life is worth fighting for, always give it your all and never give up, even when the odds are against you!”
Chuck’s legacies are his son, Austin, his daughter, Allison, and two grandchildren, Luke Jabaley and Charlotte Murry. He is also survived by his brother Dr. Michael Jabaley of Jackson, Mississippi, and sister Theresa Jabaley of Chicago, Illinois.
Chuck Jabaley represented all that is good in athletics, and the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame is honored to add his name to the roll of great Fannin County athletes.