Ralf Bronnenmeier was a very personable, humble and down-to-earth person.

That’s how Rev. David Ross described Ralf to over 320 persons who attended a memorial service for the deceased Grob Systems CEO. The service was in the late afternoon of July 31 in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bluffton. The timing enabled many Grob employees to attend.

The Icon understands that Bronnemeier’s remains will be flown to Germany. The Bluffton memorial service was a way for Bluffton persons to pay their respects.

“The people he worked with (at Grob) were his family,” said Rev. Ross. “He was proud of them and his leadership role played a big part in Grob’s success, but he was humble enough not to take credit for it.”

Rev. Ross reminded all those attending that “In God’s eyes we are all equal. We are sinners. We gather as equals to commend Ralf’s soul to God.”

Asking the question, “What happens when we die?” followed by, “What is heaven?” Rev. Ross related two personal stories, one from an experience with his own father, and another from an experience with the Catholic Diocese of San Francisco and the Diocese of Oakland.

Then, he summarized heaven this way: “It is justice, love and peace.”

“We start to experience it (heaven) on earth,” Rev. Ross said. “You have to get used to it on this earth. You have to grow up knowing justice, love and peace.”

His later description of Ralf was that Ralf understood those three concepts. To prove his points Rev. Ross asked those in attendance, “Did Ralf treat us fairly? Was Ralf a peaceful person? Did Ralf love us?”

Closing with a song of transformation, Rev. Ross sang in German a song taught to him by his own grandmother. Rev. Ross told his audience that the first and third verses describe Ralf’s transformation.

Lyrics in German:

Du, du liegst mir im Herzen
du,
du liegst mir im Sinn.

Du, du machst mir viel Schmerzen,

weißt nicht wie gut ich dir bin.

Ja, ja, ja, ja, weißt nicht wie gut ich dir bin.

So, so wie ich dich liebe

so, so liebe auch mich.

Die, die zärtlichsten Triebe
fühl' ich allein nur für dich.

Ja, ja, ja, ja, fühl' ich allein nur für dich.

Doch, doch darf ich dir trauen
dir,
dir mit leichtem Sinn?

Du, du kannst auf mich bauen
weißt ja wie gut ich dir bin!

Ja, ja, ja, ja, weißt ja wie gut ich dir bin!

Und, und wenn in der Ferne,

mir, mir dein Bild erscheint,
dann,
dann wünscht ich so gerne
daß uns die Liebe vereint.

Ja, ja, ja, ja, daß uns die Liebe vereint.

Lyrics in English:

You, you are in my heart.

You, you are in my mind.

You, you cause me much pain,

You don't know how good I am for you.

Yes, yes, yes, yes you don't know how good I am for you.

So, as I love you
 so, so love me too.

The most tender desires
 I alone feel only for you.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, I alone feel only for you.

But, but may I trust you 
you, you with a light heart?

You, you know you can rely on me

You do know how good I am!

Yes, yes, yes, yes You do know how good I am!

And, and if in the distance,
 it seems to me like your picture,

then, then I wish so much
 that we were united in love.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, that we were united in love.