TheSamba.com :: View topic - RIP Russ Wolfe (1943

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:15 am

I am greatly saddened to day to hear about this. Jimmy called me and told me the bad news not an hour ago. Like Bob I was able to interact with Russ on a more personal level. He was a great guy and always had excellent advice for keeping our cars on the road.

Back in the early 2000's a fledgling group of T3 owners would get together in San Diego. Back then we would meet at In'n'Out burger with a couple of Type 3s and family. Russ was able to make two of those events when he came out to visit his son. I had thought of him as a friend prior to that over the net, but the face to face solidified the deal. He was always amazed at the early T3 stuff and loved to see them in action. I loved to hear the stories of the hundreds of VWs that passed through his hands when he made a living at it.

I particularly like the FI T3 he bought that had a loose connection :wink: Nearly stole that one :lol:

This place is a little less fun without him and a whole lot less knowledgeable. Ill miss you Russ Wolfe. May you rest in peace.

Russ and his son at one of our San Diego shin digs.

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:23 am

I didn't know Russ personally, but I would have liked to. He's seemed like the nicest guy and was always there to answer my nagging dumb kid questions. Who is going to chime in when someone has a completely pointless question about their car? He will definitely be missed.

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:27 am

A few times I was stumped on something or other either with my type 3 or my type 4 motor, the first person I would goto was Russ Wolfe. One day I posted up that I want to do a 091 conversion to my notch, he replied with, "I got one, you just need to come and get it" I made the trek up to Iowa 3 month's ago. Him and his loely wife put me up and fed me some delicious home cooking. Russ and I chatted VW's/Type 3's for hours. Russ showed me the shelves Bob built him, and was very proud of how well everything was orginaized.

I'm going to miss you Russ :(

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:29 am

Nothing but respect for the man, his knowledge and his fighting spirit through his battle with cancer.

Aloha Mr. Wolfe

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:32 am

The world has lost a good man. A man that gave of himself not only information but friendship to so many which is priceless. I never met a nice guy that would answer any question at anytime and would bend over backwards for anybody. I was so impressed when he flew out here to California to see Brad in his last days. Here Russ had such a positive attitude about himself but used to tell me "one day at a time". I found out this morning in chat and I had to leave......Life has been overwhelming these past two years. RIP Russ....You were the Type 3 wiz. Your chats in SAMBA chat will be missed. My heart goes out to your family. You are pain free now. We will meet again, that I know...

Pl8s :(..

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:39 am

RIP Russ, you fought a long, difficult battle.
i did "see" Russ in Utah one time. we passed each other on the interstate: he was hauling a trailer full of parts back from oregon, i was heading back to CA. we exchanged waves as we passed.
i only met Russ once in person, when he came to our house. i think he drove here just to prove to me that a "free" VW Fox could make such a long trip.

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:41 am

This is very sad. We've lost an amazing guy!

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:48 am

I bet he was on the Samba chatting it up how he was over ot your house! :lol:

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:48 am

I just heard about this on the Type3.org list. It really sucks. Why does it seem like so many really awesome people get this stupid disease?

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:48 am

How does that song go? "Don't know what you got, 'til it's gone"? Today is a sad day for us all. Like a few here, I didn't know him personally, but I did appreciate all the help he offered. I'll miss his smart ass little jabs and his quick and to the point advice. This only makes me appreciate "Wolfie" even more. I think he'll live on forever in that car and it's a shame he didn't get to see it finished. He will be missed by us all...terrible news.

:cry:

Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:57 am

I'm lost for words. I've chatted with Russ pretty much everyday on Chat for the past several years. What a guy, very smart, always had an answer. If he couldnt help ya, he knew where to send ya. I learned alot from him. What a great sense of humor Russ had. We joked alot in Chat, messin with noobs, then helpin em out in the end.

This past summer my dad, siblings, and myself were traveling cross country in my gramma's car from NJ back to Cali. As evening was approaching, we would soon be arriving in Des Moines, IA , so I gave Russ a call so we could meet up. He offered to put us up for the night, but I didnt want to inconvenience him with so many people, so he gave me a list of some motels off I-80 near 35. Well part of 80 makes a 90 degree turn to the south, then another 90 to the west. So we find one of the hotels he mentioned and we get a room.

So now my dad and siblings go and get dinner while I wait for Russ cuz we were gona do our own thing. So I'm waiting for Russ, he calls and says ok I'm here, so I'm lookin off the balcony, no Russ in sight. So we're lookin for each other, making sure were both in the same place, maybe were on the wrong side of the building or somthing. Long story short, we eventually figured out that there were 2 hotels with the same name along 80, one before all those turns, and one after. He was at the one hotel, and I was at the other. :x . So he headed my way and finally got there about 30 mins later. By then it was getting late, so we went to burger king for dinner. 8)

Then not too long after, he came into chat saying how his bearings on the passenger side of his Kia were all messed up, all cuz my fatass rode in the car. :oops: :lol:

Still shocking this whole thing is. My sincerest condolences to Russ' family, friends, and the VW community. Russ, thanks for the laughs, support, the governor on my single cab, the dinner at burger king, and everything else. I'll miss you. RIP Russ. - Jahnai

Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:37 pm

Always good for advice. I'm terribly sorry to hear this. RIP Russ.

Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:37 pm

Thanks for all your knowledge and parts when i needed them. Rest in Peace Russ Wolfe. You will be missed. My condolences to all his family and close friends :vw:

Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:47 pm

I kind of had a feeling that Russ passed on, with his absence after having been so active. I always liked him and his knowledge, and I bet there are more than enough Type 3s up there to keep him busy.

Rest in Peace...

Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:51 pm

notchboy wrote: I bet he was on the Samba chatting it up how he was over ot your house! :lol:

That was basically the evening, aside from watching a baseball game and eating at the best Barbecue joint on the planet.

We had the same thing going at "TedFest"

Here he was at Invasion 2008 (wearing his Samba shirt)

Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:55 pm

I only meet and spoke to Russ once a couple of years ago, but that's all I needed to know he was a stand up man in this community.
My condolences to his family.
We'll get to know each other a little better on the other side buddy.

Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:24 pm

rest in peace russ!!!
he was my 'human technical manual' for my square.... i wish i could've met him in person. he seems to be a true friend for those whom got to meet him personally. my thoughts and prayers go to the family.

Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:25 pm

I never had the opportunity to meet Russ in person but I exchanged PM'S with him on occasion. He was always very friendly, helpful and curtious. What I really liked about Russ is he was never rude or condecending to people (that I saw) and he always was helpful to anyone needing it. I've always been amazed how quickly you can form opinions of people simply reading what they write. I quickly realized Russ was a genuinely nice guy.

Thanks for your help Russ over the years!

I also agree.. FUCK CANCER!

Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:25 pm

damn... Prayers go out to family and friends.

**fuck cancer**

Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:27 pm

I'm stunned, and I feel like someone kicked me in the solar plexus.

RIP, friend. :cry: