This week we honor the life of a great man; Glenn Burghardt, who recently passed. Glenn was very highly respected and very much loved in Valley Home. He and his precious wife Laura were loved by all. Together this couple worked side by side for many, many years in their beloved Valley Home community. Their love and devotion to each was always first and foremost. They were right there in every community meeting, always ready to do their part. It was always such a great joy to have their excitement, and to see the love they felt for each other and for our community.

Glenn served on countless boards throughout his lifetime, always giving 100 percent and always serving with honesty and integrity! I am honored to consider myself a very good friend to both Glenn and to Laura. It is definitely the end of an era when folks like the Burghardts pass ... both had such class and elegance … yet on the other hand both were always so willing and ready to roll up their sleeves and pitch in. They were definitely hard working people; people who cherished this community. As another of one of our very special community members Betty Gregory said: “They were pillars of our community!” That is definitely a fitting description of these two amazing people.

Glenn and Laura were among the esteemed Valley Home residents chosen to have the honor of being Grand Marshals of our Valley Home Old Fashioned Lighted Christmas Parade. I remember well the year they were chosen, the Burghardts were so proud and on that special night, they were surrounded by a community that loved and cherished them very deeply. Glenn gently held Laura’s hand as he helped her climb aboard a beautiful Christmas decorated ranch wagon ... hay bales would be their seats. They both waved happily and threw candy to the excited children lining the parade path.

This special couple was so close, it is very hard for me to write about one and not include the other.

Glenn, who had had an amazing career in the United States Navy as a Chief Petty Officer, was a man of great patriotism! His love of our great country and his service to our great nation will forever be appreciated by all who knew him.

Glenn was a very intelligent man, always learning, always inquisitive, he was a Marine Biologist, who worked at the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco.

Later Glenn and his beautiful wife Laura would move to Valley Home and raise their children here. Valley Home 4-H was a grateful recipient of Glenn’s knowledge. They were indeed much loved by their Valley Home community!

In a tribute to Glenn’s love for Marine Biology, he and Laura created a very special collection of sea shells and ocean memorabilia in their home.

Glenn spent many years serving on various boards. He spent much time on our Valley Home Park Board, a cause that was near and dear to his heart. We are thankful for the love and leadership he and Laura shared with the citizens of Valley Home. Glenn was well known for his amazing knowledge, especially the history of the early days of our community. I have had the great joy of seeing his personal collection of historical facts; our community has always been the recipient of his love and knowledge of history.

As the years went by, and much later in their lives, his beloved wife became ill. From that day on, his heart and his hands were dedicated to the care of his precious Laura. Their devoted family was always there, caring and loving Glenn and Laura through the years. I remember walking down the little road near the old school with Glenn as he shared his heartbreak. It was a very hard time for Glenn ... Laura was his rock; his everything! As the years went by the love this amazing couple had shared in their early years together would bind them together forever. I remember the tenderness with which Glenn would softly brush his sweet Laura’s hair; her eyes would light up as he placed a favorite clip in her hair ... he loved his Laura! This love would hold their hearts together ... forever.

Rest in Heavenly Peace.