In Loving Memory of Mary Stolz

It is with great sadness we mourn the loss of Mary Stolz.  Mary was a lifelong member of the dog community in Florida.  She was dedicated to the sport of dogs, starting off with Basset Hounds and then her beloved Longhaired Dachshunds.  She leaves behind her husband, Dan Stolz, married for 21 years, daughter Suzette Kathleen Manning, son Kenneth John Manning, grandson Joshua Jonathan McCrary and family as well as so many friends in the dog community.

Before her days with the Florida Classic Park, Mary chaired events at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa and the Polo Fields in Sarasota & surrounding communities.

Mary was the pioneer woman who developed the concept of cluster events that is so prevalent in today’s dog show scene. Facing the constant challenge of finding suitable grounds for a cluster of dog shows, she felt that clubs should own real estate and develop it as a permanent location for dog shows. She founded what we now know as Florida Classic Park, home of the first stop of the Florida circuit every January.  This cluster has been successful for over two decades and became a model for other AKC clubs to follow.

Many of us know that Mary was of small, delicate stature, but she was full of vitality and energy. Mary was a force to be reckoned with, yet she always had a welcoming smile when you saw her.

Mary will be greatly missed by the Tampa Bay Kennel Club, the Clearwater Kennel Club, the Pasco Kennel Club, the Hernando Kennel Club, the Manatee Kennel Club, the Forsyth Kennel Club and the Brandon Florida Kennel Club and as a participating Delegate to the American Kennel Club.  Most of all she will be missed by Dan, Suzette and Kenneth plus all of the exhibitors that she blessed with her humor and smiles at every event. The Champions and Best in Shows are awaiting Mary in Heaven where she is planning her next event. God Bless.

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Posted by Gia on Sep 6 2023. Filed under Breaking News, Featured, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.