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The father of four from Nashville, Ill. was still in his 30s and just a few years removed from the heart problems that threatened his life, when he sat down at his typewriter and put his gratitude into words.
Years later, he can barely remember what the exact text of that letter was. But he does remember exactly who he sent it to: Earl Bakken, co-founder of Medtronic, the manufacturer of the pacemaker Brown credits for saving his life.
So taken was Bakken by the letter, he read it to Medtronic’s employees as they gathered for their 1977 holiday program.
When another letter arrived from Brown the following Christmas, Bakken read that one to the employees too.
A tradition was born.
This year Brown wrote his 38th letter, updating Medtronic employees on his 12 grandchildren, two great grandchildren and another on the way. The retired biology teacher also wrote of his active life, including jogging and house painting at the age of 76.
“Without your products I would be a fading photograph in a family album, where I would be identified as ‘That was your dad. That was your grandpa,’” he wrote.
But breaking with past tradition, Medtronic’s founder did not read this year’s letter. Bakken delivered a video greeting from his home in Hawaii, before Brown stepped to the podium to read his own letter.
