Chester Wolf

Passed away at age 82.

Chester started life in Austin MN, the youngest child of Florence (Thompson) and Fred Wolf. Chester’s loving, gracious mom was the youngest of 11 kids. Chester's dad, a skilled metalworker and business owner, escaped Russian persecution as a child with his family.

Chester had an idyllic 1950s childhood in rural Bloomington with his siblings Donna, Dolores and Paul and his older cousins. At Bloomington HS, he lettered in wrestling. He was the barbershop quartet’s tenor, and president of school choir. His classmates voted him the friendliest guy in his class of more than 400.

The U.S. Navy sent him to Guantanamo, Cuba, and to the North Sea where he oversaw the ship’s steam engines. Chester was determined to advance his education at the U of M despite his lifelong struggle with dyslexia (undiagnosed until he was in his 60s). With single-minded effort and a little help, he earned Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees. And he met his future wife while singing with the U of M Chorus.

He worked his way up from the stock room to Master Scheduler at Rosemount Aerospace. He could fix almost anything with his great mechanical aptitude. And he designed more than a few gadgets.

After 25 years in the corporate world, Chester retired to an outdoor, animal-centered life and became a wildlife photographer. He loved RV-ing to the Rocky Mountains, Florida and northern Minnesota to hanging out with bears, moose, wolves and birds. He also looked forward to spring fishing trips to the Boundary Waters with his long time buddies. He and Elizabeth had many travel adventures using her airline benefits. Occasional spring training visits to Ft Myers and ski trips to Colorado and Montana filled out his winter months. He also looked after Elizabeth’s aunt when she needed help.

Chester capped his working life and found joy in a retirement gig, working during Twins and Vikings games at the Dome. This job mirrored his teen job with the Twins grounds crew at Metropolitan Stadium.

His life changed in the Tetons one summer when he was unable to get enough oxygen. That led to a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, always fatal without a lung transplant. Rejected and doomed by the U of M’s transplant program as “too old” at 66, Mayo Clinic said he was not old at all but rather a healthy and great transplant candidate. In 2011, thanks to the generous gifts from a grieving family who had lost their wife and mother, an amazing surgical team transplanted two healthy lungs. Chester’s new lungs were a good match and within months, he was fishing in the boundary waters and kayaking in the Tetons again. He not only picked up where he left off with his life, he lived three times longer than average for lung transplant recipients.

Chester loved visiting with everyone. And he loved birds and animals, including his sweet cats. He loved photography, and most of all, he enjoyed sharing his photos with anyone who appreciated nature. He loved mountains, forests, the ocean. And kayaking on the Snake River. Also ice cream and chocolate.

He is survived by Elizabeth, his wife of 51 years, nieces and nephews, a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, cousins and many friends. He’s also missed by Dancer and Kody, his two kitties.

Thanks to his Mayo Clinic’s team, especially pulmonologist Dr. Mark Wylam for his expert and respectful care. Thanks also to the generous hero families who donate the organs of their loved ones as they grieve their tragedy and loss, gifts that offer many people a chance to live. And much gratitude for the friends who have reached out with their kind offers of help, and to share great memories of Chester.

In memory of Chester, please become an organ donor. Life-source.org/donation/register

Other memorial suggestions: gtnpf.org/399-memorial, or your favorite animal or habitat protection organization.

Please join us to celebrate Chester on Saturday, November 15 at Bradshaw Celebration of Life Center, 2800 Curve Crest Blvd, Stillwater. 651.439.5511. Visitation begins at 11 am. Program at noon. Lunch to follow.

Burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at 11:30 on November 24.