Stanley Wayne Mandel

1942 - 2023

Stan Mandel, 81, formerly of Winston-Salem, passed away on December 24, 2023, in Louisville, Colorado. He is survived by his college sweetheart and wife of 58 years, Patti; his children, Stacey and Marc (wife Jessie); and his grandchildren, Benjamin and Eliza. Stan never met a stranger. His family and friends will miss his fearlessness and adventurous spirit, healthy disregard for rules, passion for teaching entrepreneurship, love of spicy food, and sense of humor.

Stan was born in San Antonio, Texas, to the late Lillian (Karren) and Joe Mandel; he was the brother of the late Allan Mandel. Stan was a lifelong learner, attending Tulane University (B.S.M.E.), Northwestern University (M.B.A), and earning a P.h.D. in business at Texas Tech University at the age of 54.

Stan's career journey followed several paths. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, during the Vietnam era. His military service was book-ended by work at Texas Instruments and Ernst and Young. Stan would later join his father-in-law, Benjamin Solnick, in operating the Hollywood women's apparel stores in Amarillo, Texas. Stan eventually led an evolution of the business into the $10 Shoppe, a one-priced clothing chain that grew to 15 stores throughout Texas. Following 19 years in the retail business, Stan took a leap of faith into academia during the second half of his life, becoming a professor of business at the University of South Dakota and then Wake Forest University, where he was the founding director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. Throughout his career Stan served on the boards of over 30 organizations in industries such as not-for-profit, health care, and finance. He had a passion for mentoring students in business and often joked that someday he would open a bar with the motto: "Free business advice, two-drink minimum."

Stan and his wife Patti built a loving life together that revolved around cultivating meaningful friendships wherever they went. Stan was an engaged father. Stacey and Marc remember ski trips to New Mexico and Colorado, regular father-son tennis matches, and Friday father-daughter coffee conversations. They could always count on their dad for timely and thoughtful advice, most notably to appreciate the "small victories" when faced with life's challenges.

Stan was a dog-lover; he and his family shared their lives with many special four-legged friends through the years - Laddie, Rags, Molly, Oscar, Abby, Toby and Casey. Toby, Stan's beloved Golden Retriever, held a special place in his heart. For close to 30 years, Stan upheld a tradition of thoughtfully crafting the "Mandel Good Dog Howler", an annual recap of the dogs' adventures written from the perspective of the dogs themselves. Just before dying he passed on this responsibility to his children and grandchildren, and the whole family was able to share one last reading of this special letter written by the next generation.

While Stan battled health challenges during the last stage of his life, his spirit remained strong as he and Patti became active residents of the Balfour Senior Living Community in Louisville, Colorado. Staying true to his love of exercise (he was a 5-time marathon runner), Stan could be found each morning working out in the gym, and would adventure to downtown Louisville on his e-tricycle, making a point to say "hello" to every dog he met along the way.

In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to make a contribution in Stan's memory may do so to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley (boulderhumane.org), National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (nfte.com), Tru Community Care Hospice (trucare.org) or the charity of their choice.