Jeff Waldecker

Jeff (Wolf) Waldecker was born approximately 1951.

Jeff was the son of 'Colonel Hope', a woman who adopted the 'Colonel' monicker both from her army experience and from her rank as an Auctioneer. She owned and operated the Auctioneer's Inn restaurant for some 20 years.

In the mid-1980's Jeff managed the Auctioneer's Inn II restaurant for George Prentice (who went on to own and operate the wildly successful LaCage Aux Folles gay dance bar).

Waldecker is also said to have been involved in part ownership or management of Circus Circus bar during this same time (along with Jimmy Zingale, and George Prentice).

But in September 1986, there was a huge blaze that destroyed The Telephone House, a telephone store at the corner of 2nd and National in Milwaukee. According to the contributor to this article, Jeff Waldecker lit the match that burned the Telephone House. He is said to have turned State's Evidence against Jimmy Zingale (who owned the property) to avoid prison, but ended up there himself after a drunk driving arrest revoked his probationary sentence.

Jeff died of a heart attack at age 50 in about 2001. His mother, Hope, died a year later.