stars in heaven

Stars in Heaven..Keep on Shining

IMG_1461Gregger was so much to so many people. And he played each “part” perfectly. You rarely saw him without a smile, a bounce in his step, or a sparkle behind those fashion specs. Whether your chum, crony, or cohort, he made you feel as though you were his #1.

The Friend: To everyone. Gregger never met a man/woman/child who was NOT his friend. Everyone loved The Gregger. He left an imprint on your soul. A smile in your heart. The twinkle in his eye. The sparkle in his smile. It touched you. And made YOU feel special. As if you were his favorite. If he asked, “How are you?” He meant it.

“He changed the world by asking, ‘How are you?’ because he really wanted to know.”

He listened. He asked questions. And he waited for your answer. A man of compassion. A rare breed. A devoted, loyal, true-blue friend. He was there in the noise and the silence. Honest, a man of principles, a man of truth. Gregger made sunny days brighter and brought rainbows at the end of a storm. He loved unconditionally. No terms. No limitations. No judgments. Your way didn’t have to be his way. Gregger was the “every man’s friend.” He accepted and liked you for who you were, not who he wanted you to be. And he was fun. Charismatic yet good-humored. 100% genuine. He was grateful. And that gratitude came back full circle.  friends 2 (1)

Dear friends and family stated:

“You were present. You were supportive. You stood by us in times of uncertainty, sheer happiness, and inconsolable grief. You were an integral part of our family, Greg. The loss is insurmountable, but the imprint of love, kindness, and wonderful memories will always be with us. Thank you, Greg, we love you so.”
“Thank you for shining that ray of sunshine into so many lives including ours. You truly have a gift for spreading happiness to other people and making this world a better place. With Greg’s passing, we all suffered a tragic loss of brightness and color in all of our lives. We can only be grateful for the precious time that we spent with him.”
friends (1)“For as long as I knew Greg he ALWAYS was a kind, loyal, giving, funny, caring, generous individual, but most important, a wonderful friend. Whenever a customer or friend would run into Greg, he would always ask, “How are you? How is your family? How are you doing?” It was always about you! Not Greg. We are heartbroken about losing the friendship of such a wonderful individual. Greg, you will always be in our thoughts, our hearts and we will NEVER forget your humor, kindness, sweetness and your infectious smile!”
“Greg touched so many lives it would be hard to line them all up. I don’t think I have ever met a more positive person in the business world. He was always concerned abou how YOU were doing..never concerning others with any challenges he might be having. When I walked into The Clotherie, it always was an extremely uplifting experience, always something positive. I will always feel that I am a better person having had the wonderful experience of knowing, admiring and loving the man.”

do good 2 (1)The Humanitarian: Gregger was a giver. Not only to friends and family, but his community. While he was personally responsible for creating philanthropic events several times a year, he never turned his back on anyone. And he only cared about the “giving.” Never about the “getting.” With his commitment to giving back, Gregger continued to give after his passing. Friends and family honored him with mind-blowing donations to his favorite charities so his legacy could live on. He would be so honored by this glowing tribute.

“Greg made a tremendous impact on this community. I feel lucky to have known him.”

I was the lucky one. I am blessed every day. To live. To love. To remember.

To be continued…

do good (1)

stars-in-heaven

Stars in Heaven

“Live for something. Do good, and leave behind you a monument of virtue that the storms of time can never destroy. Write your name in kindness, love, and mercy on the hearts of thousands you come in contact with year by year, and you will never be forgotten. Your name and your good deeds will shine as stars in heaven.”

15This was Gregger. He is truly a shining star in heaven. He lived for something. He lived for a lot. His family. His friends. Truly anyone who crossed his path. He did good. He was full of goodness. He left behind a monument of kindness, goodness, and generosity that time will never erase. He will never be forgotten. He was one of the good guys.

As most of you know, this is a rough month. The anniversary of Gregger’s death. But I am trying not to be sad. I am trying to see the light. The positive. The growth. And the strength that came from the “shining stars in heaven.” His spirit. I want to honor that spirit. Gregger’s memory. He deserves it. So I will write about who he was. What he stood for. And the legacy he left behind. So well deserved. I will share messages sent to me. Messages that convey his most honorable attributes. There isn’t a Reader’s Digest version. So bear with me. The rest of the month is dedicated solely to my one and only.

Scan 19The Gregger: Where do I begin? Kind, compassionate, funny, generous (to a fault), hardworking (to a fault, again), courageous, and full of love. So full of love. Others said, “It is amazing how many people were impacted by Greg. His personality was genuine. He was kind and always positive. I will always remember his smile.” Five months ago, I wrote, “Because of his smile, he made my life more beautiful. His tooth-bearing, eye-twinkling grin melted my heart. In the worst of times, his boyish grin could mellow my ranting rage to a quiet calm. If Gregger smiled at you, he touched your heart. His smile was like a warm hug on a cold winter’s day.” It has now been almost a year since Gregger’s smile graced this earth, but it is etched in stone upon my heart. It will always make my life more beautiful. It brings me sunshine on a cloudy day. It raises me up when I’m feeling down. It gives me strength when I think there’s nothing left to give. Thank you Gregger. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. I love you.

DSC_1002The Professional: Gregger began at 8 years old and worked his way to the top. He not only had a passion for his industry but for his clients. He followed in his father’s footsteps and then created his own path. Five months ago I wrote, “The Gregger never settled. He climbed his mountain all the way to the top and enjoyed it every step of the way. The challenges. The struggles. The joys. But most of all the people he met along the way. He truly loved “his” people. They were all part of “his” family. Colleagues stated, “The industry lost a giant. Greg’s ability to recognize change before it happened made him a pioneer and someone that we all aspired to emulate. Well beyond the passion he displayed for his chosen career, he set the standard for behavior and overall level of professionalism. He was a class act who raised the bar for all of us and taught us all how to treat others. He was as kind as he was gracious, challenging all around him to be a better person.”
“Greg was a wonderful soul and human being! They have one heckuva haberdasher with a great heart upstairs.”

If only I had one more day. Just to say, thank you. You made me a better person. You gave me strength. You gave me courage. And you taught me the meaning of selfless love. Love for others. Love for myself. The greatest gift of all.  I miss you.

To be continued…

DSC_0685