Kindness Passing

No, kindness has not met an untimely end. It does that nearly every moment when unthinking, uncaring people simply don’t do the right thing, or the nice thing. But there was someone among us in Warrenville, Illinois who did do the kind and nice thing. Almost every chance she had to do so.

Her name is Lynn Hoppenrath, owner and proprietor of Al’s Pizza at the corner of Warrenville and River Roads in Warrenville. Lynn is the daughter of Al, who started the pizzeria. He built it into a shrine of sorts for the community. When he retired he anointed his daughter Lynn to carry on the family tradition. And did she ever!

Al’s Pizza is well known in west suburban Chicago. And I do mean well known.

I didn’t know of Al’s when I lived in Wheaton. Only when I moved to Warrenville did I learn of the delectability of a pizza from Al’s. But once there I found people returning to Warrenville to eat yet another Al’s pizza. It was fun talking with patrons and learning where they were from and why they were here. Also, I met Al through the chamber of commerce but shortly after he retired and Lynn took on the business.

Soon Al’s Pizza was my Friday night routine. Of course we ate it in Towne Tap right next door throughout the swinging connecting doors. That’s where the community met up on Friday nights. First for after work drinks, then pizza or fish fry. That’s where you got to know the spirit of the town. And what a lot of spirit!

Frequent visits allowed me to become an acquaintance of Lynn H. But also Lynn Burgess, proprietor of Towne Tap. The two Lynns. Each the owner and successor of a successful business started by their dads. In the same building in which each business owned its own space and did its own business.

I came to know Lynn Burgess who has an opinion on everything (like me!) and those discussions led Lynn Hoppenrath to report to me one day, “I’m the nice Lynn; the bad Lynn is Burgess!” I thought this was funny, especially so because she told me this private message in front of the other Lynn. And we all laughed.

As the years ticked away, I observed both Lynns run their businesses successfully through years of constant change. They both managed to maintain the flavor, spirit and essence of their establishments that reflected the standards of the community. They were each special businesses. Each led by a special person. Good or bad, they are/were very special people.

And the community supported them through thick and thin, in droughts and floods, through road work, bridge construction and reconstruction. Through spoiled water wells from a local gas station tank leak, to massive flood protection projects that protected them from future flooding (hopefully!). The community rallied for them. They cherished these two businesses that somehow embody the identity of Warrenville.

Precious are these small businesses. The owners take on risk to create them, and continue the risk-taking to maintain them. But they are not alone in this task. Their customers form an entire community. And that community wants them, supports them, and lends them a hand day after day.

The Lynns – both of them – are strong members of our community. Now we are less one.

Lynn H will be missed. Sorely so. But we will always have her memory, her pizza product, and her spirit to remind us of how special she has been in our lives. And her delectable smile!

Peace Lynn. You gave us much peace. Now it is yours to savor.

September 10, 2015