History books omit the names of many important people. Despite their significant impact, their part of the story remains unwritten.

In Warners’ Stellian’s story, such a man existed. Gerald Tuckner married dad’s sister Marie. Jerry was a favorite uncle to us Warner kids. He was always smiling and always funny – just like our dad. Uncle Jerry was father to a bunch of our cousins (including Hammer Board President Barbara Tuckner) and had a pool in his backyard! We spent many summer days in that Tuckner pool, mixing it up with our cousins – usually with Janet smack in the middle of all the fun. (Janet Tuckner has been supported by Hammer for 33 years.)

As adults, dad shared some things about Jerry that increased our respect and gratitude toward him. Dad struggled to find a meaningful job after returning home from the Korean conflict. In 1954, Jerry told dad about a bookkeeping position at Stellian Appliance, a little store in the township of Falcon Heights.

Despite dad’s lack of experience, Jerry convinced him to take the job lending his accounting skills to ensure dad succeeded. In 1971, when the owner had become more difficult to work for, Jerry advised dad to offer his resignation suspecting that the owner might offer the business to dad rather than accept his resignation.

And that is exactly what happened. Once again, it was Jerry who leveraged his connection with a local bank to secure the loan needed to buy Stellian. There is no way he would have gotten that loan without Jerry, dad says.

Thanks to Jerry’s encouragement and counsel on those two events, the Warner family is now celebrating its 60^th anniversary in the appliance business. Without Jerry, there would be no Warners’ Stellian.

Jim Warner Jr. and wife, Sandy; Jim Warner, Sr. and wife, Nonie; Carla Warner in costume at Reach for Ralph last year!

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