Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation’s family of 95 magazines bid a fond farewell to company President Larry Levine, with many joining in a conference call and sharing notes, prayers and good thoughts prior to his passing on September 23. Larry enthusiastically contributed his all with a host of talents focused on forwarding our collective mission of providing publishers and readers with the tools needed to help us all create a healthier, more sustainable world together.

Company founder and CEO Sharon Bruckman honors her partner, saying, “Our home office and publishers are truly saddened to lose the beautifully loving, guiding light that Larry generously shared with us throughout the past 12 years. His impact on our lives and Natural Awakenings’ success will continue to bless our readers. We will miss him dearly.”

One of Larry’s last gifts to the company was recommending Pat McGroder as vice president of franchise development just weeks before his unexpected passing. Pat brings 24 years of publishing experience and has already proven an incredible blessing to our family of heart-centered entrepreneurs.

On a recent inspirational publishers call, we were each sharing what we would choose as our single “super power” and Larry’s was that he’d be a living essence of the Buddha. For many of us, that’s a role we’ve seen him play since day one, expressing unconditional love and compassion toward everyone. It’s how he lived.

How many people in the corporate world can say that the last words they regularly hear from the “top brass” of their organization are “I love you!”? For our leadership, these aren’t just words. You could feel Larry’s love coming through the ether. A thoughtful and thoroughly considerate man, he contemplated how to offer the most benefit in each conversation and encounter.

We’ll miss Larry’s physical presence with us, but feel at peace knowing that life is eternal and the good he embodied will continue to help steer the awe-inspiring ship that is Natural Awakenings. His spirit lives on in these pages in the pure intention to help all we touch to feel better, live simply and laugh more.

With love and gratitude,

Maisie Raftery, Publisher