H. STANLEY "STAN" LIDDELL Jr.

H. STANLEY "STAN" LIDDELL JR., 76, of Fort Wayne, died in the early hours on Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, at DeKalb Health, Auburn, surrounded by his loving family. "Stan was an energetic 'idea man' who enriched the lives of his family, friends and the people of northeast Indiana." A son of two accomplished business people, Stan was a graduate of Auburn High School. He moved to Auburn from Syracuse, N.Y. in 1944, when he was in the third grade. At the time, Mr. Liddell, Sr., was managing Auburn-based automobile parts and farm equipment parts companies for Detroit financier Dallas Winslow. Among those names were Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg and Kaiser-Frazer. Upon Mr. Winslow's death, Mr. and Mrs. Liddell Sr., purchased the companies and integrated them, along with thousands of rare automotive parts, in a Quonset hut, from 1919 to 1923 S. Wayne, Auburn. Next door to the Quonset hut, Stan's mother built her own warehouse, for the automotive parts business she bought in the 1950's. After trying out a number of different enterprises, he went to work for her in the 1970's and eventually purchased this business. Perhaps the best example of Stan's entrepreneurial spirit, vision and courage is his turnaround of the Marketplace of Canterbury in Fort Wayne, which he purchased in 1984. When his largest tenant moved out, leaving him with 30,000 square feet of unleased space, Stan created an indoor mall known as Garden Mall with boutique shops, a specialty grocery store and numerous cafes of a cuisine variety. Later, Stan found ways that this mall-and Fort Wayne-could be reinvented as a destination place for people 21 years and over, both locals and those living within a 250 mile radius of the city. He took over adjoining spaces and opened Piere's Entertainment Center, which now comprises five different clubs featuring various musical genres and is billed as "Fourth in the World for Clubs 21+." Stan eventually installed other themed venues which became know as "Five Clubs under One Roof". He also founded Picasso's, a banquet and catering service, and Flashback's on the Landing and aquired the Trolley Bar, a favorite north side eatery. His many diverse businesses have become training grounds for hundreds of young business people from northeast Indiana, including Stan's own children. A 1996 article in the northeast Indiana publication Business People, referred to Mr. Liddell by his well-known moniker, "Prince of Piere's." Laughingly referring to his work ethic-which eventually shut out his love for traveling and sports-he dubbed himself "Prisoner of Piere's." But his family, friends and colleagues know he wouldn't have had it any other way. Indeed, he was a "pillar," not only of Piere's, but also of his community and his vast circle of admirers who, today, are paying tribute to a remarkable person who lived life with hard work, great fun and immense joy. Survivors include his daughters, Buff (Lloyd) Sergent of Chicago; Jill (Chad) Conley of Sugar Grove, Ill. and Tish Liddell of Allen County; sons, Herbert Liddell III (Sheraea Deckard) and Nicholas Liddell, both of Fort Wayne; grandchildren, Caleb, Camri and Chloe Conley, Joelle (Elle) Liddell and Herbert Liddell IV and Hannah Scarlett Liddell; sisters, Charlotte Beatty of Auburn, Judy Liddell Farrington of Fort Meyers, Fla. and Deborah Liddell of Raleigh, N.C.; brother, David (Sunny) Liddell of Auburn; and 15 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert Liddell Sr. and Lee Liddell. Service is 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, at Feller & Clark Funeral Home, 1860 Center St., Auburn, with visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. Visitation also from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013, at the funeral home. Burial following service in Woodlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center www.niic.net; or the Allen County S.P.C.A. www.acspca.org.