Stronger Together

The Townsend Leather community was recently hit by unexpected tragedy.

An icon in the community for his kindness, his ability to make anyone feel like a best friend, and his passion for leather, Chris Weil was beloved and will be deeply missed.

Chris was a production lead at Townsend and spent nearly 20 years learning, training, loving leather, and all the people he worked with.

His love of Metal (especially Metallica) and sports teams like the NY Rangers was well known, but his smile and ability to show genuine interest in anyone and everyone, is what will leave a deep hole in our community.

Townsend Leather Partners have rallied together in the aftermath. Leaning on each other, finding strength in our togetherness in the stories, the memories, the hugs, and the tears.

Our team is one of action, so even in the face of loss, were moved to do something. The first step of many somethings is that we found each other and sat quietly together.

We gathered as a team and watched the rain clear away over our Townsend pond. Watched the leaves rustle in the fall wind as we sat and listened to Sarah Eckler lead us through a moving talk of who Chris was, what we will miss, but also how lucky we all were to have known him.

A handcrafted Laser Etched memorial leather plaque was touched by each Townsend partner while they placed a heart in Chris’s memory.

One thing we see over and over in our Townsend Leather community is how strong we are together. How quick we all are to move and help and each be a support even as we need support ourselves.

We never hope to be tested, but there is a power of hope when we are, and you can see clearly, that we are stronger together.