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A Tribute to Jack Wolfstone (1909-1986)
My father, Jack Wolfstone, was a kind and compassionate man.
I was fortunate to have a close friendship with him during the last
ten years of his life.
Jack Wolfstone was the owner and operator of
Wolfstone Sales Company. He was a master liquidator and wholesaler, and orginally the
business was located at 1414 Broadway on Capitol Hill across the street from the
Baghdad Cafe on the corner of Pike and Broadway. Subsequently, the business
was located at 1518-1st Avenue South. Later in life, he became a realtor and
worked with Bill and Murray MacPherson on University Way N.E. in Seattle.
Jack was a handsome man with raven black hair and sparkling blue eyes. His closest
friend among the seven brothers was Leon L. Wolfstone. Leon was the seventh
son of a seventh son and, therefore, was endowed with powers of prophecy.
Jack Wolfstone was fearless ... he had the courage of a Lion, and he enjoyed
proving to friends and family that he could accomplish "the impossible."
As a young boy in Milwaukee, he owned a horse and wagon and made his living
selling vegetables. In Spokane, Jack owned an open-air produce business and
put his cash overflow into bushell baskets. During WWII, he served in the
Philippines in the United States Navy. From the beginning to the end, he had
charisma; women loved him; and he was a salesman "extraordinaire!"
Jack Wolfstone was one of seven brothers and two sisters. Jack was born in
Milwaukee, WI. He moved first to Spokane, WA and finally to Seattle, WA
The seven brothers ranged from Hy (the oldest) to Leon (the youngest). They were
Hy, Louis, Victor, David, Mike, Jack, and Leon. Also included were Ann and Irene.
The seven brothers met in Leon's office (8th floor of the Central Building) monthly
and repaired to the Magic Inn (7th & Union, downstairs) for a dinner to conduct
the business of the Wolfstone Foundation.
Jack Wolfstone's best childhood
friend was Joe Hydowitz in Spokane. He never made a bad business deal, and he
always had a few thousand dollars in cash hidden in his warehouse. One of his
favorite expressions was "Here's a great idea!" [phoenetically pronounced "idee"]
His favorite drink was Seagram's 7, and he had a fabulous baritone laughter!
He could hold his liquor, and he held court with his friends and admirers at any
social gathering. An argument was never over until someone said, "Let's get
Jack's opinion." He was the kind of guy that St. Peter would post at the front
gates of Heaven since Jack Wolfstone would never back down from a confrontation.
He was truly "the All American Boy."
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