David Lebel, co-owner of Schemengees Bar & Grill on Lincoln Street in Lewiston, is pictured in 2008 with his collection of pool cues. Sun Journal file

LEWISTON — Anyone who played pool in Lewiston during the past few decades knew David Lebel, the easygoing and hardworking co-owner of Schemengees Bar & Grille.

This week, most of them are mourning his death.

Kathy Lebel said on Facebook that her 57-year-old husband died Tuesday, leaving her and their son, Tyler, heartbroken.

“While I could share the depths of our grief, I feel it’s more important to celebrate how truly remarkable Dave was,” she wrote.

“He embraced life and people with an open heart. Making friends came effortlessly to him; once you met Dave, you couldn’t help but feel the warmth of his kind soul,” she said. “I don’t believe there’s anyone out there who met him and didn’t feel a connection. His genuine kindness extended to everyone he encountered.”

Rina Thibeault, his sister-in-law, said that “no matter where you saw Dave he always had a smile. You couldn’t have met a better guy — friendly to everyone and who never had anything bad to say.”

His brother, Tim Lebel, said Wednesday that growing up near Bates College, the three Lebel boys were “just typical Lewiston kids” who went sledding on Mount David and played a lot of hockey.

Since David Lebel was the youngest of the trio, Tim Lebel said, they’d put him up against a wall and have him try to block their shots. He got so good at it that the youngster wound up a goalie for local teams.

David Lebel was “kind of the quiet guy” in any group, his brother said, but he made friends easily.

Lebel found his calling as a cook, where he met his wife, Kathy, who proved a great partner.

The Lebels bought Schemengees more than a quarter century ago because, they once said, they both loved pool so much.

“We wanted a place for people to gather together and play some pool, shoot a game of darts or just come in for the amazing homemade foods with a great atmosphere that you and your friends and family would enjoy,” they said a decade ago.

They moved the restaurant to its Lincoln Street location at the end of 2007, where it thrived until its closure following the Oct. 25, 2023, mass shooting in which 10 patrons were killed. It remains closed.

By then, Kathy Lebel was the face of the business, her “kind, gentle and loving partner” no longer well. David Lebel has struggled with Parkinson’s disease for at least 15 years, his brother said, and it had grown worse in recent years. It isn’t clear if it was the cause of his death.

The couple “built a couple of really strong businesses,” Tim Lebel said, a testament to their grit and savvy.

Kathy Lebel said she is lucky to have “shared 37 wonderful years” with her husband, “creating a life filled with love.”

“I could never have wished for a better man by my side,” Lebel wrote.