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In Memoriam of Stan Wolf
by Tom Wintrich, former editor of USA Table Tennis Magazine - “Spin”
Photo Provided by Mal Anderson
In Memoriam of Stan Wolf
Adios Stan
Stan Wolf was a one-of-a-kind friend with a personality that oozed gregariousness along with a healthy side of funny. Combine those two traits and you end up with a mad-cap zest for life that could not be suppressed. So much so that he made you wonder why he wasn’t a standup comedian instead of a restauranteur. Haven’t seen Stan for a year? Didn’t matter. He would greet you like you had just been together the day before. I experienced that numerous times after I moved from Colorado Springs and would return for visits. He was out of the restaurant business by then and was running a retail store selling kites and renting ski and snow board equipment on the great tourist boulevard of Colorado Avenue. It was a great combo for his personality; he genuinely liked flying kites and loved setting people up for a fun weekend on the slopes. He could not only rent you the equipment, but he could also do any necessary repairs on the equipment. He also rented bicycles. Whatever the activity, he was really selling himself to his customers, something he perfected as co-owner and co-founder of the Mason Jar Restaurant, which is still in business. He was the consummate host who loved “working the room” as he went from table to table chatting with his customers, almost always telling one of his corny jokes. When the internet came along, he eagerly shared his bad puns daily. Stan was fluent in Korean, having joined the Peace Corps years ago where he learned the language. Naturally, this skill helped him in his table tennis career that began in Philadelphia back in the late 60’s or early 70’s. He played Seemiller style and I think was rated in the low 1900s back in his tournament days. He didn’t compete while living in Colorado Springs but recently had shown up from time to time to play at Scott Preiss’ new club. Whatever his pursuit, it was his oversized personality that defined Stan Wolf and I feel lucky to have called him friend and spend so much fun time with him.
Farewell Stan – all your friends will miss you.
Stan Wolf was a one-of-a-kind friend with a personality that oozed gregariousness along with a healthy side of funny. Combine those two traits and you end up with a mad-cap zest for life that could not be suppressed. So much so that he made you wonder why he wasn’t a standup comedian instead of a restauranteur. Haven’t seen Stan for a year? Didn’t matter. He would greet you like you had just been together the day before. I experienced that numerous times after I moved from Colorado Springs and would return for visits. He was out of the restaurant business by then and was running a retail store selling kites and renting ski and snow board equipment on the great tourist boulevard of Colorado Avenue. It was a great combo for his personality; he genuinely liked flying kites and loved setting people up for a fun weekend on the slopes. He could not only rent you the equipment, but he could also do any necessary repairs on the equipment. He also rented bicycles. Whatever the activity, he was really selling himself to his customers, something he perfected as co-owner and co-founder of the Mason Jar Restaurant, which is still in business. He was the consummate host who loved “working the room” as he went from table to table chatting with his customers, almost always telling one of his corny jokes. When the internet came along, he eagerly shared his bad puns daily. Stan was fluent in Korean, having joined the Peace Corps years ago where he learned the language. Naturally, this skill helped him in his table tennis career that began in Philadelphia back in the late 60’s or early 70’s. He played Seemiller style and I think was rated in the low 1900s back in his tournament days. He didn’t compete while living in Colorado Springs but recently had shown up from time to time to play at Scott Preiss’ new club. Whatever his pursuit, it was his oversized personality that defined Stan Wolf and I feel lucky to have called him friend and spend so much fun time with him.
Farewell Stan – all your friends will miss you.