Today is a very sad day for anyone who has had the pleasure of strolling through Bronner's and feeling the real spirit of Christmas. Though Bronner's will still be there, the part I loved most will never happen again. It was always a pleasure to walk through Bronner's and see Wally greeting people or signing books. He was one of the nicest men I have or will ever meet in my entire life. The thing that impressed me most about Wally was his passion for making sure Christ stayed in Christmas no matter what. Sure, Bronner's sold other holiday items, but their focus was always on Christmas. The other thing that really impressed me, with all of the people who he met on a daily basis, he always remembered me. My name is original so I guess it's not that hard to believe, but I got the impression I wasn't the only one he remembered. I think that Wally loved the people as much as he did Christmas. Because of that, his influence and passion will be passed down for generations and not just in his family, but to the families of everyone who he touched.
I don't mourn for Wally because I know that he is "Now with his Christ of Christmas", but I do mourn for his family and their great loss. He was unique, caring, kind-hearted, giving, loving, funny, passionate and well, that list could go on forever. As for me, I would rather miss Wally than to never have met him, he touched my life and the lives of everyone he met. I feel sorry for those of you who never had the chance to meet Wally, who never had him touch your life, but he will always live on in the Christmas Wonderland that bears his name, Bronner's.
I don't mourn for Wally because I know that he is "Now with his Christ of Christmas", but I do mourn for his family and their great loss. He was unique, caring, kind-hearted, giving, loving, funny, passionate and well, that list could go on forever. As for me, I would rather miss Wally than to never have met him, he touched my life and the lives of everyone he met. I feel sorry for those of you who never had the chance to meet Wally, who never had him touch your life, but he will always live on in the Christmas Wonderland that bears his name, Bronner's.
4 comments:
Well said, Ginger. He went out of his way to make everybody feel welcome. I have no doubt that he is now enjoying the same and much more!
Thanks for your comment, Ginger.
Wally Bronner will be greatly missed.
I see you are gluten intolerant...
Thanks for all the info. on your blog. I think I need to take some pointers. As a pastor's wife, I host our missionary representatives once or twice a year and he is a gluten intolerant, so I'm always wondering what to fix.
Thanks for sharing your story, Ginger! He sounds like he was a wonderful man who brought so much joy to the lives of others. What a blessing for you to meet him!
Thank you for directing me to your tribute. I did not know the man, but am moved by the his work and words. And perhaps more importantly, by the consistant stories of his generous nature and love that are told by all who knew him.
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