Dear Bernie Marcus:

I met you in 2014, when I got recruited by the company you and Arthur Blank started back in the 1970’s. That story came to life in your book “Built from Scratch.”

If anyone told me that my life’s mission would be in a hardware store, I would have told them they were crazy, but it has been the place where God placed me to do his work.

When my children were young, my ex-husband didn’t want me to work. That was the time I got the volunteering bug. It felt so good to give back, and I went all out; I volunteered full time at my children’s school. I also volunteered in a nature preserve studying endangered plants and served on several boards.
While I was going through my divorce, another talent surfaced. I realized I had a knack for encouraging young people to reach their potential to be the best version of themselves. I could teach them how to be great leaders, care for their people, and love the company they worked for. This came in the form of tough love, empathy, and compassion for the trials that young people face as they grow.

I started this part of my journey with an electronics company with a yellow tag for their logo. I honed my skills and blossomed in that environment. At the time, that company was struggling to find its place. Five restructurings in six years had me questioning my future. It was divine intervention when a recruiter from your company came into my yellow tag store and asked my boss if he had any talent that was affected by the most recent restructure; he gave her my name.

Both these skills led me through ten years of working for you, using God given natural craft to make each store I worked in just a little better. I’ve been able to develop leaders who will continue to make your company strong into the future. You’ve allowed me to give back to our community through writing grants for veterans and those in need.

God knew what he was doing when he brought us together. Working for you also gave me the opportunity to hear people’s stories. For some reason, people gravitate to me and tell me their stories, most consist of life’s struggles. It gives me an opportunity to slow down, offer a shoulder to cry on, and a hug to ease their pain.

Bernie, although we never met in person, your legacy is commendable. You’ve helped make thousands of blue-collar people become millionaires. Your foundations, created before and after your time in service, are still strong and help thousands of people every day. This will all live on in your memory, and we will keep your legacy alive.

I am deeply honored to work for your company. RIP, Bernie, you did it well.