Obituary for Stanley Joseph Zelnick
Stanley Joseph Zelnick passed away peacefully with his family by his side on January 16th 2020, at the age of 90 years old.
Stan was born Nov. 3, 1929 to the son of a miner and the 2nd generation born in Aspen. Stan’s father, Louis Zelnick immigrated from Slovenia in 1901. His mother, Mary Oberster was born in Aspen in 1893. Her parents also immigrated from Slovenia and were married in Aspen in 1890.
His first pair of skis were given to him as a Christmas present from his sister. As a child Stan would pick potatoes on McClain flats and he used that money to buy his second pair of downhill skies from Montgomery Ward catalogue.
Stan graduated from Aspen High School in 1948. After graduation he worked as an auto mechanic for Bob Kopp in the Brand Building.
In 1951 he joined the Army and was stationed in Alaska. Stan loved the outdoors, and loved being in Alaska.
In 1954 he married Billie Lee Rogers in Glenwood Springs where they lived the first couple of years before moving back to Aspen. He started Stan’s Body Shop in the Brand Building, the same building he had worked in before joining the army.
Stan and Billie have 3 daughters, Patty, Kathy & Nancy.
Stan and Billie sold their house in Aspen and moved to the El Jebel area in 1979. They loved having the space to have large gardens and spent many years growing their own vegetables.
After moving down valley Stan started working for the Aspen Ski Company. In the beginning he worked at the shop on top of Aspen Mountain during the winters maintaining the snow cats. Later on he moved to the shop at the base of Buttermilk until he retired.
Stan’s passion was hunting and fishing and he was an expert in both. He explored all the mountains, lakes and streams around Aspen while he was growing up and he knew the mountains around Aspen like the back of his hand.
Stan is survived by his 3 beloved daughters, Patty (Scott) Henke, Kathy (David) Grounds, and Nancy Zelnick. Stan had five grandchildren, Amber (Stefan) Bate, Joseph Grounds, Tori (Ivan) Chacon, Travis (Erica) Rung, and Levi Zelnick and 6 great grandchildren all of whom he loved so very much.
A Celebration of Stan’s life will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, January 30, at the Gathering Room at The Orchard Church in Carbondale, 110 Snowmass Dr. Grave Side service will be held at Rosebud Cemetery at 2:00 pm.
Memorial donations in memory of Stan can be made to,
Colorado Wildlife Federation @ https://www.coloradowildlife.org
Or Stepping Stones of the Roaring Fork Valley @ https:// www.steppingstonesrfv.org
Stan was born Nov. 3, 1929 to the son of a miner and the 2nd generation born in Aspen. Stan’s father, Louis Zelnick immigrated from Slovenia in 1901. His mother, Mary Oberster was born in Aspen in 1893. Her parents also immigrated from Slovenia and were married in Aspen in 1890.
His first pair of skis were given to him as a Christmas present from his sister. As a child Stan would pick potatoes on McClain flats and he used that money to buy his second pair of downhill skies from Montgomery Ward catalogue.
Stan graduated from Aspen High School in 1948. After graduation he worked as an auto mechanic for Bob Kopp in the Brand Building.
In 1951 he joined the Army and was stationed in Alaska. Stan loved the outdoors, and loved being in Alaska.
In 1954 he married Billie Lee Rogers in Glenwood Springs where they lived the first couple of years before moving back to Aspen. He started Stan’s Body Shop in the Brand Building, the same building he had worked in before joining the army.
Stan and Billie have 3 daughters, Patty, Kathy & Nancy.
Stan and Billie sold their house in Aspen and moved to the El Jebel area in 1979. They loved having the space to have large gardens and spent many years growing their own vegetables.
After moving down valley Stan started working for the Aspen Ski Company. In the beginning he worked at the shop on top of Aspen Mountain during the winters maintaining the snow cats. Later on he moved to the shop at the base of Buttermilk until he retired.
Stan’s passion was hunting and fishing and he was an expert in both. He explored all the mountains, lakes and streams around Aspen while he was growing up and he knew the mountains around Aspen like the back of his hand.
Stan is survived by his 3 beloved daughters, Patty (Scott) Henke, Kathy (David) Grounds, and Nancy Zelnick. Stan had five grandchildren, Amber (Stefan) Bate, Joseph Grounds, Tori (Ivan) Chacon, Travis (Erica) Rung, and Levi Zelnick and 6 great grandchildren all of whom he loved so very much.
A Celebration of Stan’s life will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, January 30, at the Gathering Room at The Orchard Church in Carbondale, 110 Snowmass Dr. Grave Side service will be held at Rosebud Cemetery at 2:00 pm.
Memorial donations in memory of Stan can be made to,
Colorado Wildlife Federation @ https://www.coloradowildlife.org
Or Stepping Stones of the Roaring Fork Valley @ https:// www.steppingstonesrfv.org