Walter Harry Wolf

Walter H. Wolf passed away peacefully on August 25, 2017 after a 5 month battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sarah C. Wolf, his 7 children, Walter R. Wolf (Rita), Randy Wolf (Kim), Lauri Stevenson (Dennis), Shari Brown (Wally), Larry Wolf (Krista), Debbie Wolf, Daniel Wolf, as well as 21 grandchildren, and 1 great grand daughter.

Walter was born in Chicago, IL to Walter B. & Dorothy Wolf, an only child. The family moved to Detroit when he was 10, and then to the small town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where he grew up on Trout Lake, about an hour’s drive from town on an old dusty road.

They were a small, humble family who lived off the land, having inherited 100-year-old family log cabin in northern Minnesota. Walter learned early on how to work hard around the property: cutting trees, shoveling snow, mowing lawns, chopping wood, clearing forest, gardening, building and repairing the wooded 10-acre property.

Every winter while in high school, he spent his weekdays living in town with another family, because the roads to Trout Lake were often closed due to snow. On top of his schooling, he also worked part time as a bellhop at a local hotel, and played baseball on his high school team and around town.

After graduating from high school he enrolled at the University of Cincinnati and met a spunky young sorority girl, also an only child, named Sarah Louis Church. Sarah (called Sally) had coerced him and some fraternity brothers to join the sailing club. It wasn’t long before this country boy began courting this city girl.

After graduating from college and realizing they could not bear to be apart from each other, Walter and Sally were married at Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1955.

After graduating with an accounting degree, Walter made the decision to join the Air force. He was given the choice of being stationed in Oxnard, California or Bakersfield, California. He chose Oxnard, California and worked at the airbase in Camarillo. So shortly after their marriage, these two only children set out some 2,500 miles away from home to begin their life together.

After completing his time in the Air force and with their first child in tow, they moved to Santa Barbara for a new job with a small accounting office, where Walter became a junior partner as a newly minted Certified Public Accountant. He was a hard working man, determined to succeed with his college degree and newfound career. Then by 1963 he was promoted to senior partner. The firm would come to be known as Bartlett, Pringle and Wolf. Along the way, he always kept his focus on serving his Creator, loving and caring for his wife, and raising seven – yes, seven beautiful children.

Outside of his successful business career, Walter also served in leadership or as president over a variety of local organizations: Kiwanis Club, Youth Football League (YFL), Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC), Full Gospel Businessmen – Santa Barbara chapter, Chamber of Commerce, as well as many other community and faith-based organizations. He also started a local low-power Christian TV station as well as helping to bring a Christian radio station to Santa Barbara.

However what Walter will be most remembered for, by many who knew him, was his ability to connect and disciple businessmen, community leaders, pastors, and influencers. Many of his disciples have gone on to become pastors of mega churches, presidents of media companies, and corporate leaders. Walter led a great many people to faith in Jesus Christ. He and Sally spent their lives giving generously to churches, ministries, couples, young families, friends and those in need.

At the same time, Walter dedicated himself to coaching, teaching, training, building and developing this big family of 4 boys and 3 girls. Every year, he gave up two months of work and invested that time and energy in his family. Every summer, he drove the family by motorhome, canvasing the country straddled down with a cacophony of equipment, luggage and kids to visit grandparents, relatives and friends, historic landmarks, national parks, and sites of interest. Over a span of thirty years, the family traversed every single state in the United States.

In 1986, Walter left the burgeoning firm of Bartlett, Pringle and Wolf to spend more time with family, slow the pace of life, give time to various churches and ministries and pursue other consulting opportunities.

In 1995, Walter and Sally sold their tract home in Santa Barbara and moved to Arizona to be closer to family and to “semi-retire”. Walter continued his consulting business, as well as being a greeter at the local Fry’s supermarket and a volunteer and pastor at his son’s church.

One thing unique about Walter’s character was his easy going demeanor, his “don’t worry about me” and “serve others before me” mentality. The kids and grandkids loved (and were sometimes annoyed by) his “cheesy grandpa jokes” and endless stream of puns.

Always an early riser, he was often seen in the living room with his bible open, drinking coffee or eating a peanut butter and tomato sandwich. He would often tear up about a moving story, and was never afraid or to proud to give a hug or a kiss. He embraced life to the fullest, and made a difference everywhere he went.

In late 2016, Walter was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Through it all, he stayed strong, ate healthy and continued to pray for others. Later in March 2017, they received news that his body was fighting pancreatic cancer. With this diagnosis, he knew that each day of his life was in the hands of his Maker. He lived a rich, full and purposeful life all the way to the very end.

Then on Friday, August 25 around 5:00am he peaceful slipped away and stepped over into eternity, to walk free from sickness and disease, to stand with Jesus. I can only imagine his Father’s words to Walter when he arrived there:

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” – Matthew 25:21

Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura, CA.