He was the ultimate volunteer.
John von Stade, who died yesterday at the age of 83 after a long illness, spent 50 years as co-chair of the Far Hills Race Meeting while it went from being an event that attracted a few thousand spectators to the country’s richest day of steeplechasing, with more than 30,000 attending. He did everything from bedding stalls in the stables to putting up snow fencing at first, and then managing hundreds of volunteers and set the fixture’s course as it grew.
A resident of Peapack and Bernardsville until moving to Maryland six years ago, he was a member of a prominent racing family. His father, F. Skiddy von Stade was a founder of the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., which Mr. von Stade served as president from 1989-2005–longer than anyone else has held that position.
Guy Torsilieri spent 35 years helming the Far Hills Races with Mr. von Stade, who retired from the co-chairmanship in 2014.
“He was an art lover, a historian. He was like an old school guy, but he managed to change with the times. He had an incredible way about him, so gentle and focused. He knew which way things needed to go and should go,” Guy said.
former Far Hills Meeting co-chairman John von Stade, left, presents a trophy in 2010 to race horse owner Morten Buskop with race meeting co-chair Guy Torsilieri. (Photo © 2010 by Nancy Jaffer)
Despite coming from a family that was deeply involved in thoroughbred racing, Mr. von Stade only dabbled in it briefly on a personal basis.
He good-naturedly described his Ivy Creek Stables as “a fantastic disaster.”
“He got into it and quickly got out of it,” Guy related
Mr. von Stade, who previously owned the Essex Gallery of Sport in Far Hills, dedicated his life to philanthropic venues and giving back.
Guy called Mr. von Stade the “fabric and the glue” that held things together between the races and the foundation that donates to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerville. It is the home of the Steeplechase Cancer Center and the von Stade lobby, built on $18 million from the races.
Mr. von Stade will be formally remembered on race day next year.
“We will clearly honor him appropriately,” Guy said.
Mr. von Stade is survived by his wife, Phyllis; his son, John von Stade Jr., and three grandchildren, as well as his niece, famed opera singer Frederica von Stade. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.