Stefan Zolarek

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Stefan “Steve” Zolarek, 56, passed away on Thursday, April 9, 2010 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He was born in Selenca, Yugoslavia on August 23, 1953 to Jozeph and Maria Zolarek.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother.

Steve is survived by his daughter, Christine Elmore and husband Aaron; one sister, Maria Zolarek; and granddaughter, Claudia Lahmeyer.

A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the Mobley-Dodson Funeral Home Chapel, 211 East Broadway, Sand Springs, OK. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 14, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Services are entrusted to Mobley-Dodson Funeral Service.
messages may be sent to www.mobley-dodsonfuneralservice.com

This photo and words from the following web page:

http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=578832&fh_id=10322&s_id=615F1078398FBE4039C36197E9864FEA

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Tulsa player Stefan Zolarek passed away today - 4-9-10 - due to cancer. Stefan played mostly in the 1980's and 1990's and his last tournament was in 1999. Stefan was very active with the Tulsa table tennis club during that time (rated over 2000). Stefan played in many tournaments in and around Oklahoma and those lucky enough to go to tournaments with him knew how much fun he was to go with. I went to many tournaments with Stefan and enjoyed going with him alot. He and I and others went to tournaments as far north as Topeka, Kansas and as far south as Louisiana. He could be a little short tempered and cranky but he was always fun to be around (at least with me he was). I remember he had a table set up at an apartment complex he used to work at on 21st street and many Tulsa players would meet there and play with Stefan and we all had some of the best times there playing table tennis. Stefan was the best player in Tulsa during the 1980's and early 1990's and I played Stefan many times in tournaments and I never beat him. However, I also never had so much fun losing to someone like I did to Stefan. I lost touch with Stefan in 1994 (ie I got married, etc). When I found out from Hamid that he was gravely ill and only had a short time left, I couldn't stop thinking about him and found myself looking forward to seeing him to talk about the people we knew together (the good ones and the bad ones), tournaments we went to (some that didn't finish until midnight and then still have to drive home afterwards - but since we were younger and stronger then, we didn't mind the drive at all ). Unfortunately, 4 days after Hamid told me, Hamid called me and said Stefan passed away.

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Stefan Zolarek (08/23/1953 - 04/09/2010)
Stefan was a private man and he always acted grumpy and sounded grumpy too but he was a gentle man for those who got close enough to him and got to know him. He would not make friends very easily but he would do anything for his friends. He loved fishing and camping and we used to fish and camp together all the time. He was a family man and cared a lot for his daughter Christine and his granddaughter Claudia and his son in law Aaron Elmore and his sister Maria. He was a great table tennis and soccer player and was active in both sports until 8 to 10 years ago. Unlike some table tennis players who have to have a special paddle to play with, he could play with any paddle and sometimes he challenged people and played with his slippers or a very small paddle that he made himself (about 4 inches in diameters).
Stefan was a great friend to me and I am sure going to miss him and also miss his favorite greeting phrase which was "hey buddy"...

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From Margaret M. O'Connor - posted 5-27-11 (from an email dated 5-26-11)

I would like to comment on Stefan "Steve" Zolarek's Obituary...

I met Steve in the summer of 1972 in Bronx, NY where he played soccer and he had worked as a construction worker.
I was Steve's first girlfriend when he came from Yugoslavia. He was 19, I was 16 and he called me Margie. He was extremely athletic and loved his soccer practice on his weekends off with his friends. Though we dated for approximately one year, he was always so sweet and his smile would brighten a room. He loved to play tricks on his friends, tell jokes and laugh a lot. He was also very honest & forthcoming.
I remember that he loved McDonald's Big Mac burgers as he always ate two of them with large fries. After we parted ways he dated a girl named Egda that worked as a cashier at a local supermarket. I was heart broken when I had found out he had married and left New York then entered the US Army.
When I googled Steve I was shocked to read that he had passed away in 2010 of cancer. For me, I have and will always miss him dearly with fond memories.

Thank you so very much for including me in the comments about Steve...
I'm sure it must have come as a surprise to hear from a woman from so far away that knew him so long ago...
Her father was a very handsome guy when I met him in 1972...
He had kind of dark thick blonde shoulder length hair and beautiful blue eyes...
Again, thank you so much for posting my history with Steve...

Once he was mad, and I have seen him mad, oh man... look out!
I remember when one of his closest friends insulted me!! Goodness, did he go off on him...
Then I was treated with the utmost respect, even though I was just 16 and he 19, I felt very protected.
He was an extremely private man, no one knew about him unless he wanted you to know.

Margaret M. O'Connor
Seaside, Oregon

Note - any additional comments anyone would like to add here, please email kellyboyceba@gmail.com . (We will include your name next to your comments).