Obituaries

David Wolf Jr.
07/13/1964- 03/27/2023

David Wolf (Jr.) passed away in Los Angeles on March 27, 2023 after a brief battle with cancer.
David was born in Los Angeles on July 13, 1964, the oldest son of David Wolf Sr. (Of Blessed Memory) and Valeria Overman Wolf (Of Blessed Memory). The family lived in Westwood where David attended Warner Avenue School. The family then moved to Beverly Hills and David attended Harvard School, where he was a successful debate team member. After graduating in the class of 1982, David first attended the University of California, San Diego before transferring to the University of California, Davis where he majored in what would become his life’s passion: International Relations. While attending Davis, he took a trip to Taiwan and China with his father — one which would spark his admiration for Chinese culture, which he then fueled even further by attending a summer immersion program in Mandarin at the University of California, Berkeley. After graduating from Davis, David attended the Thunderbird School of International Management where he graduated with a Masters in International Management.
In 1995, furthering the pioneer spirit which had driven his family for generations prior, David took a job as the General Manager for TV Shopping Network’s planned operations in China. Upon taking this job, David met the woman who would become his wife: Sunny (who had just been hired a week prior). Together, they paved the way for the e-commerce industry to succeed in China. In 1999, David married Sunny – his best friend, soulmate, and partner. In 2002, their son Aaron was born in Beijing. David was quite proud that both his wife and his son were born in that same city.
David forged his passion for public relations through his efforts advising Chinese companies seeking to globalize and American and European companies wanting to access the sometimes complex Chinese market. By helping various firms navigate these unique challenges, David was able to expertly bridge what otherwise could have been an insurmountable cultural and business divide. Clients such as Motorola, Google, NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Intel, among others, benefited greatly from his efforts. He led the Asia-Pacific Technology Practice for Burson-Marsteller and was the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Claydon Gescher Associates (CGA), a boutique strategy and public affairs consultancy based in Beijing.
In 2005, David started his own firm, Wolf Group Asia (WGA), continuing to enable companies to navigate and succeed in foreign markets. WGA won client and industry accolades and was named Asia-Pacific Boutique Consultancy of the Year by The Holmes Report. After seven years in operation, WGA was acquired by Allison+Partners, where David became a director and, later, partner (bringing him back to Southern California). David’s book, “Public Relations in China: Building and Defending your Brand in the PRC,” was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2015 and in 2021, at the age of 57, David enjoyed an early retirement.
In 2009, David reunited with the scouting he’d enjoyed as a teenager, leading his son Aaron’s Cub Scout Pack in Beijing. Over the following years, David balanced an increasingly demanding career with his ever-increasing devotion to a program whose values and goals resonated so deeply for him. His unwavering support and encouragement enabled his son Aaron to attain the highest honors in three of the four programs in which he participated. Aaron – and many other young scouts equally inspired by David’s guidance – were motivated enough to have returned to the program as volunteers.
David also continuously pursued his lifelong passion for writing. As an avid historian and blogger, he leaves behind many eloquent and keenly insightful works – including the basis for a book he planned to publish as a tribute to his father, documenting the complete history of the Air Transport Command of the United States Army Air Force.
David had a profound and resounding impact on the lives of all those blessed to have known him — whether in passing or over a lifetime. His presence was commanding and he was driven by a loving compassion for all, fueled by his fierce intellect and infectious wit. David was inspirational and limitless. Mere words cannot do full justice to his effect on those who were fortunate to know him. We celebrate his memory and hope that we might each carry forward his legacy – caring for others, deeply and genuinely, as he always made sure to do.
David is survived by his beloved wife Sunny Wolf; son Aaron Joshua Wolf (of whom he was incredibly proud); brother Jeremy Wolf (Marlo); sisters Jolie Jashni (Jon), Bonnie Blacklidge and Marcia Jaconi; and nephew Jake Jashni and niece Juliet Jashni.
A celebration of life will be held at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles on Sunday April 2nd, 2023 at 10:00am. In keeping with David’s joyful spirit, guests are welcome to wear any colored clothing of their choosing and, if fitting, scouting uniforms.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either the Boy Scouts of America, Ventura County Council (of which David was a Commissioner) or to the Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps (which had been so meaningful to him).
Funeral Services and laying to rest will take place on Sunday April 2nd, 2023, at 10:00 AM in the Large Chapel at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.
Guests unable to be physically present on the Day of Service are encouraged to tune-in using the Live-Stream link below:
https://hillsidememorial.livecontrol.tv/1e85d0d9