Mark Joseph Liebl, 72, of Waikoloa, Hawaii died Tuesday May 31 at North Queens Hospital in Waimea, Hawaii.
Mark was born February 20, 1950 in Spearville, Kansas the son of Conrad J. Liebl and Charlotte “Laudick” Liebl.
He grew up in Dodge City, Kansas and attended parochial school at Sacred Heart. Mark was a 1968 graduate of St. Mary of the Plains High School where he was a star basketball player. Even though some of the stories about this may be a bit embellished, there are plenty of newspaper clippings and even other people’s memories to prove most of it.
He attended Dodge City Community College & Wichita State before moving to Kansas City where he owned several businesses.
He also later was the founder and owner of the popular Peppercorn’s Bar & Grill in Dodge City.
After moving to The Big Island of Hawaii, Mark went to work at the Hyatt, now the Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort where for more than 31 years, he was a beverage director and everybody’s bartender including the rich & famous. His numerous celebrity encounters were legendary.
Mark was also a proud member of the ILWU where he was a shop steward and vice-chairperson of the contract committee.
Mark absolutely loved sports and was a huge fan, especially of his beloved Kansas City Royals and also the Kansas City Chiefs and K-State football.
It’s believed, that except for a few die-hard sports fans, not many people in Hawaii knew or cared about those teams before Mark’s arrival. Decades later, thousands hate those teams because he wouldn’t shut up about them.
He did love to talk. Mark was constantly on the phone checking daily on friends & family near and far who he loved and cared about without hesitation. And no one was more loyal or generous.
Mark Liebl wasn’t the life of the party. He was the party. And his loss is immeasurable.
Mark is survived by his brothers, John Liebl and Leon Liebl. His sister, Jane Liebl-Folger and brother-in-law, Wayne Folger; and also, his long-time companion, Diane Sanchez.
Other survivors include his beloved nieces and nephews, Beth Woodworth; Eric Woodworth; Amy Woodworth and husband Scott Goings; Abby Sexton and her husband Dave.
Mark is also survived by his grand nieces and nephews, Sam Goings; Charlotte Goings; Sophia Sexton; Baylor Sexton and Conrad J. Sexton.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Mary Ann Woodworth and brother-in-law, Wayne Woodworth and his nephew, Edward Donaher.
A Funeral Mass for Mark Liebl will be held at 10:00 am Saturday June 11th at the Annunciation Catholic Church 65-1235 Kawaihae Rd, Waimea, HI.
Another celebration of Mark’s life will be planned for a later date in Kansas.
By his own suggestion, memorials in Mark’s name can be made to: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online at www.stjude.org.
