Taravella graduate dies in Iraq's Green Zone

By Rachel Hatzipanagos

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

April 08, 2008

Army Maj. Stuart Wolfer exercised in the military fitness center Sunday inside the U.S.-protected Green Zone in Baghdad. As the father of three worked out, he was killed by rockets launched into the heavily protected area. Wolfer, 36, a graduate of J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs , was deployed to Iraq on Dec. 19.

His parents, Esther and Len Wolfer, now live in Boca Raton and volunteer for a charity that helps troops overseas make phone calls home. They had last phoned their son about a month ago and received an e-mail from him a few days ago. 'He was religious, he was a good soul and a good human being,' his mother said Monday.

Wolfer worked in operations, helping to train the Iraqi security forces in transition efforts. His Army Reserve unit was based in Boise, Idaho, his parents said.

They thought he should have been relatively safe. The Green Zone is heavily secured and houses the U.S. Embassy and Iraqi government headquarters.

The attacks occurred as U.S. and Iraqi forces battled Shiite militants in Sadr City in some of the fiercest fighting since radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered a cease-fire a week ago. Two other American troops died Sunday. The Pentagon said it could not confirm the names of the dead until 24 hours after the families were notified.

'There was a Jewish chaplain there who gave him prayer,' Esther Wolfer said.

Stuart Wolfer was able to e-mail his wife, Lee, several times a week to let her know how he was doing. He was scheduled to come home in about a year. He will be buried in Iowa, close to where his wife's family lives. The couple lived in Emmett, Idaho, where he worked for a publishing company. Friends of the family are working to set up a college fund for the Wolfers' three children, Lillian, 5, Melissa, 3, and Isadora, 20 months.

Wolfer was deeply connected to his Jewish faith, his family said. He went to Israel twice and was involved in the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization in high school, where he made life-long friends. One of those friends was Stephanie Lewis, who now lives in Philadelphia .

The organization's alumni association sent two care packages for Wolfer in late March. Earlier on Sunday, he had e-mailed friends to thank them for the gifts. 'We got him four different kinds of coffee. His wife told us that was a passion of his,' Lewis said.

She said she didn't expect Wolfer would join the military.

'I was a little surprised, but as I got to know him I could see he was really committed,' Lewis said.

His parents saw that passion, too.

'I was extremely proud of him,' Len Wolfer said. 'He loved our country and felt it was important that he did his part to serve.'

Len and Esther Wolfer started the Boca Raton branch of Cell Phones for Soldiers in October.

The Massachusetts-based charity asks people to donate used cell phones. It sends the phones to a recycling plant and uses the proceeds to buy calling cards for soldiers overseas to make international calls. Since the start of the program, the Wolfers have received 488 phones. They spent money and hours of their time working on the program, seeking out cell phone donations and buying or finding boxes to ship them to the recycling facility.

Despite their loss, the family hopes to continue its work.

'Every family should be in communication with their children overseas,' Esther Wolfer said. 'We are not giving it up. This is our project.' Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Rachel Hatzipanagos can be reached at rhatzipanagos@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6621.

Photos Go to Sun- Sentinel.com/iraq to see photos of South Floridians killed in Iraq

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