'No way we were gonna cancel this': Coworkers proceed with celebration after man dies just before 100th birthday

 

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Al Bercham had already developed something of a larger-than-life reputation at a hardware store in this northwest suburb of Milwaukee.

Bercham had worked at the Hahn Ace Hardware, previously known as Blair's True Value at N. 135th St. and W. Hampton Ave., for the past 36 years. It was a post-retirement part-time job where Bercham ended up becoming so beloved, his manager and close friend, Bob Foshey, called him "inspirational."

Others who worked with Berchem over the last three-plus decades sang similar praises at a celebration of Berchem's life Friday, which the store hosted.

Originally, this was scheduled as a party celebrating Bercham turning 100-years-old. His birthday would've been Saturday, but Berchem passed away on July 7.

"He's the greatest man I ever met," Ronald Kreutzer said. "I've known Al for 30 years. He worked at this store for a long time."

Kreutzer said once owned a sharpening business, and he first knew Berchem as a customer of that shop. Eventually, they'd work together at the hardware store, where Kreutzer was tasked with replacing Berchem in the nuts-and-bolts section.

"But you know what?" Kreutzer said. "I could never replace Al. No one can ever replace Al."

Coworkers past and present showed up for Friday's celebration. A posterboard featured dozens of photos, as well as signed, personalized Brewers jerseys the store began getting Berchem every year for his birthday; that tradition began eight years ago.

"We'd have some balloons in the lunchroom, that kind of stuff," Foshey said. "But when he hit 92, I thought, 'ah, this is getting serious.'"

The stories shared by Berchem's coworkers illustrate why management made a point to celebrate his birthdays, and why so many people showed up Friday to remember his life.

Mary Helminiak worked with Berchem at the store for 25 years. She said when she first started, she was one of the only women working at the store, and Berchem sensed she was having a hard time fitting it.

Even after Al Berchem's death, workers at the Hahn Ace Hardware kept his old work cart in the nuts and bolts section, which Berchem oversaw.

"They scared me, all these guys, because I've never had a job like this, working in a hardware store," Helminiak said. "And Al always made me feel so comfortable. He was amazing...a very amazing man."

Others relayed stories of Al remembering a single interaction and using it as a thread he weaved throughout their time working together.

"He had cut his finger, and I took him to the emergency," Jodi Stuck, who said she worked with Berchem fo 15 years until around 2006. "Ever since then, he used to call me his nurse. Every time he'd see me- 'Hi Nurse, Nurse Jodi, come here please.'"

Last month, Foshey had planned to take Berchem to a Brewers game. It was one of their favorite pastimes, along with dinners at Pizza Man on Milwaukee's east side.

But wildfire smoke disrupted those plans. It was too risky since Berchem had already been dealing with bouts of occasional breathing difficulty.

"That goofy smoke from Canada was bothering him," Foshey said. "He had a hard time breathing, so I said, 'nah, we'll pick another day.'"

Foshey said the next day, Berchem went to the hospital.

"His son-in-law had called Friday, late morning, and said, 'Yeah, we took him in yesterday.' I said, 'Yeah, he called me,'" Foshey said. "He said, 'Doctors are saying it's not looking good.' I said, 'What do you mean it's not looking good?' So, I drove down there."

Foshey said he was able to briefly joke with Berchem in the hospital room, but then Berchem again started having breathing difficulties. After some treatment, Berchem went into a deep sleep.

"And he was snoring away, we were teasing him about it, talking in his sleep, and we were listening, trying to see what he was saying," Foshey said, starting to tear up. "And then his machine thing started going down. It didn't look good, I said, 'better call somebody in.' Just like that..."

Forshey's voice trailed off from there. On July 7, Berchem died at the age of 99 years and just shy of 11 months.

Helminiak said Foshey called her and told her to get to the hospital, but by the time she left work and got there, Berchem had already passed."

The conversation then turned to the party they'd planned for August 12.

"After Al passed, Bob and I were talking, and we said, 'We're still gonna have this for him,' but it'll be a celebration of his life," Helminiak said. "There was no way we were gonna cancel this. None."

That led to Friday's celebration, which featured Sprecher root beet on tap, snacks, and a cake decorated with pictures of Berchem and a poem titled, 'Life Goes On.'

"We were gonna have the same thing we're doing now [had Berchem been alive], except it wouldn't have the start and end date on the cake," Foshey said. "It was gonna say 'happy birthday' on it."

There were still lots of smiles Friday. But they came from coworkers sharing their favorite stories, instead of celebrating a centurty of life for Berchem. 

While there were plenty of tears, the stories people told about Berchem served as a reminder that the memories people leave -- and the way they made people feel -- are far more important than any milestones.

"When you start managing a store, or taking care of an area, and people come in looking for you?" Foshey said. "You know you've made it."