CY Church Obituary, Death – A respected mid-stakes grinder from Michigan named Cy Church unexpectedly passed away over the weekend, which was sad news for the poker community. “We are sharing this tragic news with deep regret. When our beloved son Cy went to start his trip on Friday, it rocked our world, his family wrote on social media.
He was a nice, compassionate soul, and he had many who loved him as we do. The people we knew to be particularly close to him have been informed of this news, but there are so many that we were unable to reach everyone personally. “We have been so fortunate to have him in our life here on earth,” it said.
While it is impossible for us to imagine making memories without him, we find solace in the fact that his ancestors have welcomed him into his new existence with open arms. We would appreciate your prayers for our family during this difficult time. If we are unable to answer everyone, please know that your prayers and good wishes mean so much to us and are helping us get through this difficult time.
We are taking the time we need to grieve this unfathomable fact. Church’s career tournament earnings were $342,414 as of 2016, according to the Hendon Mob. The majority of that—to be precise, $263,498—came on the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT), where Church was a well-known player. He earned 17 MSPT Main Event cashes over the course of his brief poker career, including three trips to the final table.
He lost to Brett Blackwood in the MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship in October 2016 for a career-high sum of $144,701. Additionally recently, he made two additional final table appearances in 2021. He earned $33,972 for his fourth-place finish in the MSPT Grand Falls that January, and $53,340 for his third-place performance in the MSPT South Dakota State Poker Championship in Deadwood that May.
In a prior interview with MSPT Magazine, Church stated, “My grandpa taught me to play five-card draw and this was my first exposure to poker. “I didn’t play the game again till I got locked up. When we had some free time, we would play for commissary treats like honey buns and ramen noodles. It was an enjoyable pass time. I had no idea how important the game would eventually be in my life. Church earned money at many poker events, including the World Series of Poker, WSOP Circuit, Chicago Poker Classic, Wynn, Venetian, and Heartland Poker Tour.