Community joins family in mourning the loss of A.H. Wengrow, a downtown institution

A.H. WENGROW

With his suspenders, ponytail, and black-rimmed glasses, Mr. A.H. Wengrow was always a pleasant sight, walking back and forth between his big, white Ford and the clothing store he had poured his heart into for 61 years.

The community lost one of its finest citizens on Tuesday, April 24, when Abraham Hirsch Wengrow passed away at University Hospital at the age of 82.

A native of Williston, South Carolina, Mr. Wengrow later lived in Washington, Georgia, before finally making his way home to Lincolnton.

He served in the United States Army during World War II, from 1943 to 1946. As a member of "The Greatest Generation," he knew all about duty and sacrifice. He loved his country with a passion.

But as deep as that love was, it couldn't touch what he felt for his family.

It was while Mr. Wengrow was stationed in South Wales, England, that he met his future wife and helpmate, Ettie Rose Shatz. The meeting took place in the Shatz home during the observance of the Jewish religious holiday Yom Kipper.

Mr. Wengrow and Miss Shatz were married on July 11, 1945, in Cardiff, Wales. After moving to Georgia, the couple, along with Mr. Wengrow's sister and brother-in-law, Eva and Joe Goldman, established Goldman & Wengrow in April of 1946. The establishment is known as "Lincolnton's Oldest and Largest Department Store."

Pictured with family members on their wedding day in 1945 are A.H. Wengrow (far left) and his bride, Ettie Rose Shatz Wengrow. The ceremony took place in Cardiff, Wales.

During the years following their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Wengrow worked side by side in the store and became an integral part of life in the community. They also started a family which, in addition to a daughter and three sons, now includes seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Then, in October of 1966, tragedy struck when Mrs. Wengrow, who had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, passed away, leaving her hus- band to care for their two youngest sons as well as oversee a thriving business.

There's nothing like a challenge to show what a person is made of. After Mrs. Wengrow's death, there was no doubt Mr. Wengrow was made out of quality material. Although he worked long hours six days a week, he still managed to provide a loving home for his young sons. It couldn't have been easy.

Another tragedy struck the Wengrows in September of 1972 when the store was gutted by an early-morning fire. In true Wengrow fashion, the store was remodeled and restocked in time for the Christmas season.

You see, Mr. Wengrow was a salesman to the core - it was his calling to sell clothes. It has been said he could size up what a customer wanted as soon as the unsuspecting individual walked into the store.

The rules for his clerks were simple:

(1) "There's always something to do."

(2) "If we don't have what the customer asks for, then find something else you think he might want."

(3) "Make the customer happy."

(4) "You don't sit down until you see me sitting down."

Although Mr. Wengrow ran a tight ship when it came to his store, there were no limits when it came to his generosity. He was always willing to support a worthy cause whether by purchasing tickets for a barbecue sale to benefit someone who was ill or buying an ad in the high school yearbook. He helped countless families who could not afford Christmas gifts or whose homes were destroyed by fire.

Many remember the back-to-school and Easter shopping sprees at Goldman & Wengrow. Mr. Wengrow has squeezed the toes of thousands of Lincoln County children, making sure their new shoes weren't too tight and had just enough room to grow in.

Mr. Wengrow was a kind, compassionate man with a wonderful sense of humor. He was also that rarest of finds, a content man. All he ever wanted to do was run a clothing store, and his dream came true - for 61 years. The way he would greet customers with the words, "May we help you, please?" was a testimony to the pleasure he felt in being surrounding by piles of clothing and the family and friends he loved so dearly.

When Mr. Wengrow died, Lincolnton lost someone very special and precious. An institution moved on.

An old Jewish proverb states, "In a true friend, you shall find a treasure." Mr. Abraham Hirsch Wengrow was surely a treasure to all who knew him. Rest well, dear friend, and God bless.

Regular obituary information appears on page 2.