San Ramon, CA
A gofundme page has been established for Steves family and memorial service info has been posted as well in a thread here
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gofundme-page-and-memorial-service-for-steve-charland
(Topic ID: 183711)
Linked Games
Medieval Madness (Remake - Standard)
Chicago Gaming Co., 2015-
Spirit
Gottlieb, 1982
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Steve helped me several times with issues on my Black Hole over the years. Although I never met him in person, he was very gracious with his time and advice. I feel like I have lost a friend. RIP Steve.
Didn't know the man but was obviously well respected and loved. Seemed like a great guy. So sorry for his family & friends. God bless.
So heartbroken to read this!
Steve said not long ago his Chemo
Was doing its thing and was waiting for results if remission was taking place and he was optimistic.
We even talked about PAGG and he would say next year a line up of Spirits again.
One of the highlights of my trips to PAGG was to hang with Steve.
It won't be the same.
I wil surely miss him!!
Truly the nicest person !
Rip and condolences to his family
Steve was definitely one of our PAGG highlights every year as well. Always a great story with a smile. He didn't go to PAGG to play, he went to share good times with friends and made this little show feel like a big family reunion.
He made bulletproofing those insane Gottliebs look so easy. His vast knowledge was legendary and, thankfully, he was very happy to share that knowledge with us. I was looking forward to asking him a billion questions about the Punk we picked up after he kindly shared his with all of us, or the Black Hole project I bought knowing that I had a friend who would make sure that game would work 110% better than when it left the factory.
My goal now is to have both of those games absolutely ready to share the System 80 lineup at this year's Pin A Go Go and, honestly, if they break down mid way through the show, well, that's just more proof of how much we needed Steve Charland to keep them working.
Anyhow, I don't have to tell any of you how much he'll be missed. But, here are a few pics I've taken of Steve I wanted to share.
Béziers
Zemst
Awesome pics Art. That pic of me playing PUNK while Steve points at it is so special to me. Thank you so much for taking it. Getting it printed and framed for my game room.
Just logged on after a couple weeks. Very Sad and my thoughts to his family. Steve was a gem. When I was struggling to get a Black Hole working he was incredibly helpful. I last saw him a PAGG 2016 and he was in great spirits and we talked about fishing for almost an hour. That is how I will choose to remember him
Quoted from MrArt2u:Steve was definitely one of our PAGG highlights every year as well. Always a great story with a smile. He didn't go to PAGG to play, he went to share good times with friends and made this little show feel like a big family reunion.
He made bulletproofing those insane Gottliebs look so easy. His vast knowledge was legendary and, thankfully, he was very happy to share that knowledge with us. I was looking forward to asking him a billion questions about the Punk we picked up after he kindly shared his with all of us, or the Black Hole project I bought knowing that I had a friend who would make sure that game would work 110% better than when it left the factory.
My goal now is to have both of those games absolutely ready to share the System 80 lineup at this year's Pin A Go Go and, honestly, if they break down mid way through the show, well, that's just more proof of how much we needed Steve Charland to keep them working.
Anyhow, I don't have to tell any of you how much he'll be missed. But, here are a few pics I've taken of Steve I wanted to share.
Thank you, Art, for sharing. You have expressed how many of us are feeling and thinking. If you are coming to Pin-a-Go-Go and have any System 80 games that are working or you can get working, please bring them to the show so that we can assemble them together as a tribute to Steve. We are working on putting something together where everybody can share a thought as well.
Quoted from MrArt2u:here are a few pics I've taken of Steve I wanted to share.
Great pics Art. I knew there was a picture of Steve and I together somewhere. Thanks!
As many of you know i haven't been here on pinside in about 20 months
and the first thing i see is this... it brings tears to my eyes....
horrible news.... Steve and i were buds, i'm sick to my stomach !!!!
Over the years, we had spent countless hour on the phone together, talking pins, cars and life, i loved our conversations
what a GREAT GUY !!!!!
Never made it to the house to spend a week or 2 like we had talked about.... i really regret that !!!!!!
Love ya man...
life is too short...
Ughhhhh
I wanted to post these posts from me on this thread as well since the other one faded away.
I met up with Steve at PAGG this last year. We were texting back and forth a bit until he snuck up behind me back to back as I read the next text saying I am behind you, as I turned around I bumped into him literally and we both just laughed. He gave me one of those gold (bronze) pinball's for one of my games. I wanted to pay him for it but he wouldn't have it. He was such a friendly guy that I spent the next two hours or more talking pinball with him, playing his games, and him opening up his games showing me how he uses LED's in games including the leg and bolt LED's that he made. Man that two hours went quick and throughout the day we kept bumping into each other and talking more. He really made you feel important as if you were his brother and it was obvious how genuinely he just cared about what you had to say. I am fortunate to have met him in person and am saddened that I will not see him at PAGG this year as it was one of the things I was really looking forward to doing this year.
Just wanted to add this link to the story that I posted about Steve and his LED leg light ups including the bolts!
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/new-mod-maybe-something-a-little-different#post-2663910
He and I were really digging discussing them...I wish I would have bought the set of bolts he had in the silent auction. He was like a little kid so excited to keep checking that auction to see what they went for. The final result, well in his words:
Hi Mike,
The RBG Lightning Bolt kit auctioned off for $65.
Steve
Quoted from darkryder:I searched through my archives and found two good photos of Steve taken at Rob's pinball party back in 2005. One is of him standing next to Cliffy and the other next to my ex girlfriend. Those were some great parties and he will be dearly missed
He looks so young in that photo. He always had a beard or a mustache. When he started going through treatment they shaved him completely. It was the first time in my life I has ever seen him without facial hair. It was very odd.
Last week I was going down my line up trying to make a punch list. Ah...Mars God of War, the first pinball machine that I had acquired. A System 80. I made the mistake of saying out loud, “This doesn’t need anything. It’s working 100%.” I proceeded to play. During my second game...poof... the GI lights went out.
I didn’t have the time to get into it that night. So a couple days later I cracked into it and propped up the table. Low and behold ....Blownfuse.
Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.
Maybe it was Steve’s way of saying get back in there and work on that System 80. Welcome to the Adventure.
It seems that through all my research for pinball knowledge, anything System 80 I came across had a post from Steve. Valuable information that I could apply. Like so many other’s have mentioned, Steve has helped me out countless times.
I have four System 80s and one System 1. All Gottliebs. I know that I could not have put this collection together without the knowledge that you here have provided me... Thank you all... Thank you Steve. You will be missed.
Last night I put up a million+ on the Touchdown for you. This weekend I’m going to work on my brother-in-law’s Caveman for him in your memory.
It sounds like one spirit will be at PAGG this year for sure.
RIP pinball bro. RIP.
After reading a number of these posts, it's clear Steve was a Legend. I often wonder if Legends are aware of what they are and how they will be remembered? Probably not. I suspect it's just who they are. A lifetime of helping others, enjoying friends and family, and being a overall decent person. He sets a good example for everyone. RIP
Sadly don't believe I ever met Steve in person, but may have been at shows simultaneously and never met up. He was a tremendous help to me back when I got into this hobby, and was always more than willing to lend some knowledge or walk me through a tough issue with any Gottlieb I had ever since then. Very sad to hear this, and the pinball community definitely has lost a tremendous asset and a great person. This has been a rough year or so losing several people that were truly great, helpful individuals. Rest in peace Steve, and my wishes and sympathy go out to his family that lost a husband, father, brother, and endured this long, trying battle with him.
I have not been on Pinside for a long while, I just found out about Steve from a phone call.. I was proud to say I was good friends with Steve over the years, and I am devastated at this news.. He was one of the best... ever!
I will miss you Steve
I'm stunned.
I'm so sad for us pinheads. Steve was a giant in the hobby and a good friend.
Pin-A-Go-Go just won't be the same without you.
My special condolences to his family.
My story is like so many others have posted...when I got into collecting Pinballs and Arcade Games..I really wanted a Gottlieb Rocky Pinball...when I finally found one I had no idea what I was doing. Somehow fate played a roll and through the RGP groups and a great referral I met Steve. I always told him he would be a great radio personality...his voice was so upbeat and he just made working on pins sound like so much fun even when you would get really frustrated he could make you laugh. He talked me through several fixes and built up my confidence that I could fix a lot of stuff on my own with just a little guidance from a friend. Several times I sent some problematic System 80 boards that were beyond my capabilities and he would fix them for nearly nothing...he truly was a great guy with a big heart. My fondest memory was talking to him about the construction he did for his home and all that went into that and space for his pinball collection.
Steve was responsible for helping me score one of my most prized possessions. The prototype Rocky Backglass seen in Rocky III movie...those who know Steve knows he has one also...well we used to joke about when he would sell his to me...well one day he calls me and tells me that there is on eBay...now most people I know would have grabbed that for themselves..if for no other reason than to sell later...not Steve...he always put you first and did what was right because that is the kind of person he truly was.
Steve, every time I coin up a game on my Rocky I will think of you. When I look at that backglass it remind me what a truly great person you were...something I strive to be everyday in my personal life as well as in the collector circles. I will always remember him telling me once in one of our early conversations, "Rick one day you will be teaching someone too, remember to pass on the knowledge" Well Steve you were right buddy...RIP...I know your looking down at all the people you influenced with a smile. Your work is done..Pinball {Specifically System 80's } will live on for many more generations to come thanks to you.
Came across this post in the O/T Pinside thread Dogs Rules!
where
Steve posted a photo of himself with one of his dogs.
Not a mean bone in Steve either.
------------------------------------------------------------
This is my bud Rusty taking care of me after Chemo treatments.
His brother Copper is camera shy.
I love the Chocolate Lab love muggings they give,
not a mean bone in their bodies.
Steve
2 weeks later
Quoted from Blownfuse_Spawn:I know it's late notice but does anyone have this picture in a large enough resolution to print on an 8x10 for his memorial photo for tomorrow?
Sent genex a message. He took that photo.
Unfortunately I was unable to attend today
May you rest in peace Mr. Charland.
Sending my prayers to the Charland family.
Thank you for sharing the day through pictures practicalsteve
As already said, today was a great celebration of an extremely great man. If more people treated others as Steve did, the world would be a much greater place. It was nice to see old friends, tie names to faces, and make new friends. I met Steve 13 or 14 years ago, and I consider myself a lucky person to have known him. He was a fantastic person, and made the world a better place.
3 weeks later
Brampton, ON
Way cool.
Link: http://pinagogo.org/win/
"ATTA BOY", CHARLAND!
In 2014 the "ATTA BOY AWARD" was presented to Steve Charland-- the guy who is known far and wide as SYS80nut. Steve is a local Pinball "professor" of sorts who has helped Pin-a-Go-Go since it's beginning and helped many a pinthusiast with his electronic know-how on pinball forums, in person, on the phone and at the show. He was presented the award at the Flippin' Friday Kick-Off Party on May 16, 2014.
5 months later
Now that my all-in-one PI-80 board supports that excellent SPIRIT game, I dedicate this new software release to my dear friend and pinball enthusiast Steve.
For a limited time, each board will ship with a complimentary Spirit-A-Go-Go T-shirt especially printed for our Bourgogne Game Show expo (which took place in september), as an humble homage to him and his great alignment of Spirit games at Pin-A-Go-Go 2014.
Not to push the sales, but to make sure he will be remembered forever, all over the world..
I saw there were some photos at the bottom of the pinball news article the memorial for Steve at the show:
https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/09/13/pin-a-go-go-2017/
1 year later
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