Stanley Z. Plesser

Stanley Z. Plesser, 79, of Prairie Village, KS, died Sept. 1, 2011. Services will be held at 1 pm on Sunday, Sept. 4 at Louis Memorial Chapel in Kansas City, MO. Burial will be at Rose Hill cemetery. Stan grew up in New York City where he attended Erasmus Hall High School. He moved with his family to Kansas City in 1949 and he graduated from Westport High School. Stan also attended KCU and was awarded the prestigious Victor Wilson scholarship. He married Carole L. Plesser in 1960, and the two celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in December 2010. Next to his wife and family, Stan's love ran deep for music and the arts. In 1963 he opened the Vanguard Coffeehouse where local musicians and national acts such as comedian Steve Martin performed. In 1971 Stan opened the Cowtown Ballroom where artists such as Foghat and Steve Miller Band played. It was during this time that he began managing bands including the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Brewer and Shipley and Tracie Spencer. In addition to his own clubs and managing bands, he started Good Karma Productions, which produced the first outdoor concerts at Arrowhead stadium including performances by Paul McCartney and Elton John. Stan always said it was the fans in this great city that made the music scene what it was. All of his efforts helped create and expand the contemporary music scene in Kansas City. Fascinated by politics, Stan ran for City Council in Prairie Village in 2006. He was extremely compassionate, especially for his fellow Liberals. Stan loved sports throughout his life from rooting on his Kansas Jayhawks and Royals to coaching his sons' various little league teams. Later in life, his love of golf and tennis grew, and he spent the last several years working at the Overland Park Racket Club. In 2008, he was ranked the No. 1 tennis player in the five state region by the U.S. Tennis Association for players 70 and older. Stan is survived by his wife Carole, his sister Ruth and her husband Allen Wolf, his sons Steven and James and their wives Amanda and Leslie, and grandchildren Eloise, Henry, Emma and Johnny. He was preceded in death by parents Harry and Sally, his son Joseph and his brother Robert. No flowers are requested, and all donations should be made to The Pet Connection in Mission, KS or the March of Dimes.