Person:Timothy Wardwell (4)

"Tim Wardwell, who was 50 when he died Sept. 26 of a heart attack, enjoyed working with comics from Paula Poundstone and Will Durst to local favorites such as Edith Weiss and Jeff Harms. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. today at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Greenwood Village. A longtime bartender at George McKelvey's Comedy Club, Wardwell preferred being in the audience to performing on stage. He reserved his own humor for conversation and the club's headliner advertisements, once billing Harms as "our hero." Another time, an ad advised audiences that veterinarian-comedian Kevin Fitzgerald was "the only Denver comedian who can surgically remove excess eggs from an iguana." Wardwell and his wife, Paula, bought the club from McKelvey in 1995 and renamed it The Comedy Club. Comedians found him exceptionally supportive and generous. Fitzgerald and other comics credit Wardwell with giving their careers a jump-start. Every week, he allowed three or four new comics to try guest sets. Established comics and headliners liked Wardwell's relaxed attitude. If they razzed him during their acts, he playfully turned off the lights for a few beats. He liked it when comics took advantage of the unusual set, with doors stage right and stage left, to occasionally interfere with other acts. Once Harms was on stage, in the middle of a bit about a shower massage, when a stage door opened, revealing another comic wearing nothing but a towel and a wink. "Tim liked that stuff," Harms said. "His attitude was, if you were going to be in the business, then be in it to have fun." Wardwell hosted scores of benefit nights during the three years he ran The Comedy Club. He continued the annual holiday "I'll Be Home For Christmas" fundraiser for the homeless that McKelvey began, and staked countless other charitable benefits. After selling the club when the Wardwells' second child was born, Tim Wardwell decided to sell cars, partly because it gave him more time with his family. He cherished bicycling with his children, especially after his son was diagnosed with a brain tumor four years ago. He took special pride in his daughter's composure. On the day he died, his final act was turning to her for help when he realized something was drastically wrong with his heart. Friends established a memorial fund for Wardwell's young children, ages 7 and 9. Contributions to the Wardwell Memorial Fund can be made at the First Bank of Colorado. Besides his wife, survivors include daughter Sarah Wardwell and son Daniel Wardwell, both of Parker; his mother, Emily Bateson of Akron, Ohio; his father, S. "Mac" McBurney Wardwell of Clearwater, Fla.; and a sister, Lydia Zimmerman of Auburn, Ohio." -The Denver Post 06 October 2004

"Timothy McBurney Wardwell, 50, of Parker died Sept. 26 in Parker. Memorial services were Oct. 6 in Greenwood Village. Born July 1, 1954, in Cleveland, he was the son of Samuel and Emily (Worth) Wardwell. He earned a bachelor of fine arts from the Maryland Institute of Art in Baltimore. He married Paula Capehart, Sept. 25, 1993, in Denver. Mr. Wardwell was a sales writer for McDonald Automotive in Littleton. He was a sales associate in the VW division and was a member of the Volkswagen Sales Guild. Most recently, he was the service advisor for the Hyundai Division. Prior to his years at McDonald Automotive, he and his wife were the co-owners for many years of The Comedy Club in Denver. He enjoyed the outdoors, bike riding and skiing. He spent much time with his children swimming and playing outdoors. Mr. Wardwell is survived by his wife of Parker; daughter Sarah Wardwell of Parker; son Daniel Wardwell of Parker; father of Clearwater, Fla.; mother of Akron, Ohio; and sister Lydia Zimmerman of Auburn, Ohio. A memorial fund has been established in memory of Tim Wardwell, c/o First Bank, 16530 Keystone Blvd., Parker, CO 80134, or memorial contributions can be made in his name to any First Bank. Funeral arrangements were made by Parker Funeral Home Inc." -Douglas County News Press 21 October 2004

1. ↑ Social Security Death Index.
2. ↑ Social Security Death Index.