Have you ever followed someone, so amazing, that you knew there were big shoes to fill.

This wasn’t the parent who raised you…the one whom you insisted upon wearing their shoes, both mom’s and dad’s, even though they were 10 times too big for your little feet.

No…

This was the man who mentored you. Who led you and guided you to be a better person, a better co-worker and a better engineer.

The one who had daughters, just like you.

The one who took the time to explain things to you, making sure that you understood the why, not just the how.

The one who reclaimed wood from the barn they were tearing down and made it into a new floor – because the original place had meaning to him and his family – and because, he could. He had skills and there was a lot of value in that history.

He was an American true and truer…not because it was trendy, but because he believed that his was a great place to live and to raise a family.

His love for life was great…honest and real.

This post, it doesn’t even come close to paying homage to the man who was… the one, who left his role with us. The one who retired early because he knew he had done everything he could for the company and his team (for me and so many others.)

When he left, he left more than big shoes to fill. He left a memory of how wonderful it was to have him as our leader, as our guidepost and as someone to follow. Not because he was “the boss” but because he earned it. Sad to hear that he is no longer here in this world, but so grateful and happy to have known you way back when…RIP WHH and love to all of your family.

~ Dawn aka Hat Girl