Memorial for Chuck Hyde is Sunday at Center on Halsted, starting at 1 p.m.
Sun. May 21, 2017 9:39 AM by Ross Forman
chuck hyde, 2008
photo credit // jay shaff
GoFundMe page established in Chuck Hyde's honor to support his husband
They will be lifting a chilled glass today – no doubt filled, appropriately, with a frozen drink – to Chuck Hyde, the longtime general manager of Sidetrack, who passed away April 6 in Florida from complications following open-heart surgery.
He was 55.
A memorial is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Center on Halsted, followed by a Celebration of Chuck's Life at Sidetrack (till 5pm).
"I am a better person for knowing you. Thank you for all you did and all that will continue on because of your courage, ingenuity, and passion for excellence," Branco Savic, a Sidetrack bartender, wrote on Facebook.
"Chuck created so many wonderful and fun experiences for Sidetrack and helped raise so much money for LGBTQ causes," Michael Hogan wrote on Facebook.
Hyde was a co-owner and general manager of Sidetrack in Boystown during his 30-year run working at the bar. He had most recently been living and working in Fort Lauderdale. And his Florida friends held a similar memorial last weekend, with white balloons sent into the sky in Hyde's honor.
Mark Hunter, co-owner of Hunters Nightclub in Fort Lauderdale (and formerly the Hunter's in suburban Chicago, too), said Hyde was, "power, grace and humanity with a great sense of humor." Hunter added that Hyde was "never in the limelight, but known well."
Hunter wrote on Facebook after the Fort Lauderdale memorial: "I had so much to say about Chuck Hyde at his celebration of life party today at Hunter's Wilton Manors, but it went unsaid. I got up on the stage with the microphone and almost immediately started to cry. I had planned out everything that I wanted to say, but was unable to do so. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was grief, but I was unable to say what a wonderful person he was, what a great personality he had, what a great sense of humor he possessed and what a wonderfully creative person he was. My speech did not do him justice. Please excuse my speech and do not interpret it as insensitive. I truly love and miss Chuck Hyde. May he rest in peace."
Hunter is in Chicago for today's memorial.
"Chuck Hyde was a great friend of Equality Illinois and other organizations that he helped during his years at Sidetrack The Video Bar," said a statement from Equality Illinois.
Hyde started working at Sidetrack in July 1982 – just three months after the bar opened. He was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, now known as the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, in 2001. Hyde started working at Sidetrack as a barback, then became doorman, VJ and other roles.
"In the early years of the bar, no one worked harder than Chuck; no one put in more hours," said Sidetrack co-owner Art Johnston, who recalled Sidetrack during its early days encompassing only 1,100 square-feet with a staff of less than 10. "He was the perfect company man who cared about everything in the business.
"He was a very important part of what Sidetrack became."
Johnston added that Hyde was "committed, talented, creative, intelligent," and always worked "to make the bar a great place for everyone."
A GoFundMe page has been started, with a goal of $25,000, to support Hyde's husband, Randy D'Agostino. Hyde and D'Agostino were married three years ago.
To donate to the Chuck Hyde GoFundPage page, go to: www.gofundme.com/chuckhyde
He was 55.
A memorial is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Center on Halsted, followed by a Celebration of Chuck's Life at Sidetrack (till 5pm).
"I am a better person for knowing you. Thank you for all you did and all that will continue on because of your courage, ingenuity, and passion for excellence," Branco Savic, a Sidetrack bartender, wrote on Facebook.
"Chuck created so many wonderful and fun experiences for Sidetrack and helped raise so much money for LGBTQ causes," Michael Hogan wrote on Facebook.
Hyde was a co-owner and general manager of Sidetrack in Boystown during his 30-year run working at the bar. He had most recently been living and working in Fort Lauderdale. And his Florida friends held a similar memorial last weekend, with white balloons sent into the sky in Hyde's honor.
Mark Hunter, co-owner of Hunters Nightclub in Fort Lauderdale (and formerly the Hunter's in suburban Chicago, too), said Hyde was, "power, grace and humanity with a great sense of humor." Hunter added that Hyde was "never in the limelight, but known well."
Hunter wrote on Facebook after the Fort Lauderdale memorial: "I had so much to say about Chuck Hyde at his celebration of life party today at Hunter's Wilton Manors, but it went unsaid. I got up on the stage with the microphone and almost immediately started to cry. I had planned out everything that I wanted to say, but was unable to do so. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was grief, but I was unable to say what a wonderful person he was, what a great personality he had, what a great sense of humor he possessed and what a wonderfully creative person he was. My speech did not do him justice. Please excuse my speech and do not interpret it as insensitive. I truly love and miss Chuck Hyde. May he rest in peace."
Hunter is in Chicago for today's memorial.
"Chuck Hyde was a great friend of Equality Illinois and other organizations that he helped during his years at Sidetrack The Video Bar," said a statement from Equality Illinois.
Hyde started working at Sidetrack in July 1982 – just three months after the bar opened. He was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, now known as the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, in 2001. Hyde started working at Sidetrack as a barback, then became doorman, VJ and other roles.
"In the early years of the bar, no one worked harder than Chuck; no one put in more hours," said Sidetrack co-owner Art Johnston, who recalled Sidetrack during its early days encompassing only 1,100 square-feet with a staff of less than 10. "He was the perfect company man who cared about everything in the business.
"He was a very important part of what Sidetrack became."
Johnston added that Hyde was "committed, talented, creative, intelligent," and always worked "to make the bar a great place for everyone."
A GoFundMe page has been started, with a goal of $25,000, to support Hyde's husband, Randy D'Agostino. Hyde and D'Agostino were married three years ago.
To donate to the Chuck Hyde GoFundPage page, go to: www.gofundme.com/chuckhyde