HERMAN BROGHAMMER: Church and a
Little Beer
It
is true that Herman Broghammer, 58, a senior vice
president at Aon, was an observant Roman Catholic. He
attended weekly mass at Sacred Heart Church in North
Merrick, N.Y., was a eucharistic minister and, for 30
years, a presence at church charity events.
"But he was also a hellraiser," said a friend, Art
Dignam. The two neighbors upgraded the Knights of
Columbus bar from "a stodgy old man's nickel beer set-up"
to "let's have fun here!" They would rise at 4 a.m. for a
golf game just hours after they'd fallen into bed. At Mr.
Broghammer's 40th birthday party, he allowed himself to
be dressed in alpine shorts and lederhosen, as 15 couples
roasted him to the strains of "The Sound of Music."
Mr. Broghammer lived deeply - husband, father, avid
athlete, and, for 20 years, manager of a sprawling
football pool. But his distinguishing characteristic was
a sunny gentleness. "When you were mad, he would let you
have your feelings but he would never agree with the
reason," said his wife, Ursula. "And eventually you would
say, `I guess I really shouldn't be angry.' " After the
towers collapsed, one mourning friend vowed a bloody
vengeance. Another friend interjected: "But think what
Herman would do: he wouldn't do that."
.
