This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Nov. 8, 2011 - Don L. Wolfsberger, who built a food packaging business, had a hand in electing three Republican presidents, led major civic ventures and all but bought a town, died Thursday at Mercy Hospital, of complications due to Parkinson's disease. He was 78 and had lived in Frontenac and Clayton.
Mr. Wolfsberger developed Parkinson's about 17 years ago, his son Clark Wolfsberger said.
A celebration of his life will be held this evening.
Mr. Wolfsberger was the owner and president of United Food and Packaging Corp. in Frontenac, which he founded in 1964. The company sold millions of dollars annually in packaging to some of the largest and most well-known food companies in the world, including Nestle Purina, Stouffer's, ConAgra Foods and Banquet Foods.
His business acumen soon made him a much sought-after civic leader and political fundraiser.
"He was a high-energy guy and well respected as a successful businessman," said former St. Louis County Executive Gene McNary. "He was was an excellent fundraiser for candidates he supported and his various causes."
Power Broker
When Gene McNary made his first run for St. Louis County executive in 1974, he enlisted the help of Mr. Wolfsberger.
"He and Wayne Millsap were Republican powerbrokers and they supported me," McNary said. "I won in '74, '78, '82 and '86."
By the time he helped elect McNary, Mr. Wolfsberger had already worked on a presidential campaign and was preparing to work on another. He had been the Republican finance chair for Missouri and he served as regional finance chair for Richard Nixon. He worked in the same capacity for Gerald Ford; McNary was Ford's chair.
He didn't have an official role with Ronald Reagan, but "I know he visited the ranch," Clark Wolfsberger said.
That would be Rancho del Cielo, the Reagans' vacation home and the "Western White House" from 1981 to 1989, near Santa Barbara, Calif.
Mr. Wolfsberger's prolific fundraising efforts in the Midwest for Republican presidential candidates made him a Republican Eagle and earned him dinners at the White House, along with the title of Honorary Consul to Norway for Missouri and Kansas. Gen. Leif Sverdrup held the title before Mr. Wolfsberger. The title was conferred on him by King Olaf in the late 1970s; the rules required Mr. Wolfsberger to relinquish it when he turned 70.
Despite raising millions of dollars for local, state and national candidates, Mr. Wolfsberger never threw his hat in the ring.
"I think it crossed his mind, but he never ran," Clark Wolfsberger said.
Civics Lessons
Mr. Wolfsberger's business and political efforts were rivaled by his community involvement.
He served on the board of directors of the Bank of St. Louis, Junior Achievement, the Kilo Diabetes & Vascular Research Foundation and the St. Louis Consular Corps.
His memberships and support included the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Missouri Historical Society, the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Children's Hospital and Central Presbyterian Church to which he donated a place for counseling and a new annex in honor of his mother.
In 1983, Mr. Wolfsberger partnered with Patrick Donelan and Jerry Clinton to found the Civic Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO), a nonprofit group designed to identify and promote unique St. Louis events to burnish the city's image throughout the world.
Beginning with the Miss Universe Pageant, CEO showcased St. Louis through many events, including the St. Louis Art Fair in Clayton, First Night, the St. Louis International Film Festival, the St. Louis Blues Festival and Taste of St. Louis.
CEO partnered with other local agencies, including the St Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, which Mr. Wolfsberger headed in the early '90s.
His work did not go unrewarded.
Among his honors was the August A. Busch Jr. Spirit of St. Louis Award by the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show, of which he was a past honorary chair.
As a manufacturer's representative, he won "top salesman" so many times, the supplier companies finally dispensed with the award.
"No one else was getting it," his son laughed.
The Town
In the mid-'80s, Mr. Wolfsberger purchased a town -- not a whole town, but almost.
In a 1993 interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Mr. Wolfsberger said he was looking for a weekend retreat "not too far from St. Louis and near a river."
He found Labadie, Mo., an unincorporated area with a population of about 250 people and "almost as many cats," near Gray Summit in Franklin County, about 25 miles south of St. Louis.
"I was intrigued with the lovely old town and the potential I saw there," he said.
Mr. Wolfsberger set about bringing Labadie up to its full potential, which meant massive renovations, tearing down, rebuilding -- and cat removal.
He bought, built or renovated primary buildings: an upscale restaurant, Hunter's Hollow, the Labadie town hall, some offices, two bed-and-breakfasts, three of the five commercial buildings on Main Street, including the General Store and a summer home overlooking a lake where he once dreamed of living permanently.
For his efforts, Mr. Wolfsberger was much lauded but sometimes castigated by Labadie residents.
By 1999, with substantial property improvements behind him, Mr. Wolfsberger had decided he no longer had the passion for "his" town and he put everything he owned there up for sale.
He ran ads in the Post-Dispatch, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times with the headline: "Own your own town."
He was off to spend more time at his Ocean Reef Club home in the Florida Keys and get in a bit more golf.
Never Take 'no' for an Answer
Don Leonard Wolfsberger was the older of Mary Lou and Leonard Wolfsberger's two sons. He was born Aug. 25, 1933, when the family lived on Sonora Drive near Tilles Park.
He graduated from Brentwood High School and Washington University School of Business where he was a sales and marketing major with a minor in industrial psychology. He was elected president of Alpha Kappa Psi, the business school's fraternity, his senior year. He played basketball all four years of college until an injury sidelined him his senior year.
After college, Mr. Wolfsberger was drafted into the Army and served two years. When he returned home, he began his business career with 3M Company.
Two years later, he incorporated United Food and Packaging Corp. The company closed last year.
Mr. Wolfsberger's passing was bittersweet for Carol Jean Reed, his executive assistant for the past 37 years.
"He taught me so many things," Reed said. "Things like never take 'no' for an answer whether it's a celebrity or a politician.
"He'd say, 'Go all the way to the White House.'"
Mr. Wolfsberger was preceded in death by his parents and by his wife, Joyce Elaine Reith Wolfsberger, to whom he was married almost 50 years. Mrs. Wolfsberger died in 2009.
In addition to his son Clark (Wendy) Wolfsberger of St. Louis, he is survived by another son, Carl Wolfsberger of Dallas, and a daughter, Courtney (Darryl) Parmenter of Coral Gables, Fla. He is also survived by his brother, Terry Wolfsberger of Ballwin, and seven grandchildren.
Private services will be at 4 p.m., Tues., Nov. 8. A celebration of his life will follow the service. For more information, please contact the family.
If desired, Mr. Wolfsberger's family would appreciate contributions in his memory to the National Parkinson's Foundation, 1-800-473-4636.
Gloria Ross is the head of Okara Communications and the storywriter for AfterWords, an obituary-writing and production service.