Gary Wickert Wolf

Gary was born in Slinger, Wisconsin on April 19, 1938, to Leonard and Cleo Wolf. As a child he moved to Minneapolis where he grew up hunting and fishing, and attended high school. He attended the University of Minnesota, where he met his future wife, Jacqueline (“Jackie”), the sister of his Kappa Sigma fraternity brother, on a blind date. Gary and Jackie knew they were meant for each other within hours, and eventually married on December 17, 1960, while he was attending law school.

Gary graduated near the top of his class from the University of Minnesota Law School, and following graduation he and Jackie embarked on their first of many great adventures, traveling through Europe for six months! Upon their return, Gary accepted an Associate position with the prestigious law firm Cahill, Gordon and Reindel in New York City. He eventually became a partner with the firm, and worked there representing public utilities and energy companies for his entire career.

In 1970, Gary and Jackie moved from Staten Island, New York, to Short Hills, New Jersey, where they raised two sons. Gary was an active father, coaching his boys in baseball and basketball, and spending every moment possible at their house on Lake Wallenpaupack in Pennsylvania fishing, boating and enjoying the outdoors. He also started racing cars, and was good enough to qualify for the SCCA nationals several times. The family moved to New Vernon, New Jersey, when the boys were in high school.

After he retired in 2004, Gary and Jackie moved to Hobe Sound, Florida. They became “snow birds,” splitting their time between Florida and Lake Wallenpaupack until Jackie passed away in 2014.

Gary loved to travel, and never stopped going on adventures with his family. When the boys were young the family went on many fishing trips to Canada, and visited Europe, the Caribbean and Minnesota. It was fishing in Canada where he declared after getting mud splattered on his shirt “I have just as much right to a clean shirt as you do!” Later, Gary took them to Africa, Australia, Alaska, Guatemala, and even treated them to several Christmases in Barbados. After he retired, Gary went hunting and fishing in exotic places like Russia and South America, and took Jackie to Alaska, New Zealand, and even China.

Gary was a true family man, who loved his wife, children, grandchildren, and all their Labrador Retrievers greatly. He liked nothing better than to be surrounded by all of them, wherever he was. He even took the whole pack on vacations to Italy and Turks and Caicos! He was loved dearly and will be missed tremendously.

He is survived by his beloved sons and their wives, Gary II and Marielle, and Jonathan and Jessica Wolf; cherished grandchildren, Nicholas, Gary III, Deanna, Brophy and Riley; brother, Len Wolf; and sisters Lynne Hemness and Wendy Wolf.

He was predeceased by his brother Dennis Wolf.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Jax’s Labrador Retriever Rescue at jlrrescue.org.

Final arrangements are as follows:

Viewing/Wake - Tuesday, 5/13, from 5:00 - 8:00 pm, at Teeters’ Funeral Chapel, 505 Church St., Hawley, PA 18428.

Funeral - Wednesday, 5/14, at 12:00 pm, at the First Presbyterian Church of Hawley, 815 Church St., Hawley, PA 18428 .

Reception will follow at the Wolf’s lake house: 165 Big Woods II Rd., Greentown, PA.

Burial - Thursday, 5/15, at 1:00 pm, at the Fair Mount Cemetery, 233 Hillside Ave., Chatham, NJ.