Win passed on this year, leaving behind family and friends who loved him dearly. The drive to his wake in Brainerd during a particulary nasty ice storm allowed me to think what he would say about people coming up in such bad weather. I imagined him saying "Why make all this fuss, stay home and be with the ones you love."
Win proved that there are second acts in public life, that a quiet meditation can do wonders for the soul and provide direction in our endeavors. Win never intended to be a web-based Sigurd Olson, but his pearls of wisdom enriched thousands of lives over the years. Every person he met he would describe as bright and their mission as passionate.
Win had his battles and detractors, but in the end he proved himself worthy of recognition and respect. To me he taught me a simple premise of governing - "We can and should do better."
