By Doug LaViolette
Gramma Nueske holding Conner on his first day of life.
I’ll never forget where I was on May 2, 2013. I was in Augsburg, Germany, staying with my friend Bob Nueske in a small guesthouse that already carried decades of memories for me. Many years earlier, during my Army days, that same place had been where my buddies and I enjoyed countless plates of schnitzel and more than a few German beers. But on that spring day in 2013, that old guesthouse became even more meaningful—it became the place where Bob learned he was officially a grandfather for the very first time.
We were on our pilgrimage to Pilsen in the Czech Republic to award a scholarship created to honor General George S. Patton and the men and women who liberated Europe in World War II. It was a trip rooted in history, remembrance, and purpose—but the anticipation of becoming grandparents gave Bob and his wife Darlene’s world an entirely new kind of excitement. Their only daughter, Tanya, and her husband, Derrik, were about to give them the greatest gift imaginable: their first grandchild–Conner.
Fast-forward twelve years, and I found myself in Wittenberg with “Grandma” Darlene Nueske, reviewing the details of the three scholarships she and Bob had established through Brian’s foundation. I also shared with her that, for the first time, we were announcing a campaign to endow a scholarship in Brian's name — a way to touch students for generations to come.
When it came time for me to leave, Conner walked up to me. Even though he hadn’t been part of the conversation that I had been having with his grandma, it was clear that he had been listening within earshot of the kitchen table. With all the seriousness that a young boy can muster, he pulled out his wallet, opened it, handed me the four dollars he had inside, and said,
“I want to help with Brian’s scholarship.”
Conner (Nueske) Satterfield’s $4.00—helping build a dream.
We’ve been doing this work for over 33 years now. Through the generosity of countless individuals, we’ve been blessed to award more than $1.2 million in scholarships. But in that moment — standing in front of a boy who is still full of mischief, curiosity, and the joyful chaos of childhood — no gift has ever felt more meaningful.
Conner is a passionate young person and a remarkable young artist, already doing good in the world even as he’s finding his way in it. His kindness and generosity echo the best of his grandfather, and of course his mom, dad, and Gramma Darlene, too.
Bob passed away in January 2015, and I wish he could have witnessed this beautiful act by his grandson — a boy clearly carrying forward the Nueske family’s legacy of giving, compassion, and love.
Bob’s good work continues, not only through the scholarships he and Darlene created, but through the next generation — through Conner, who showed us that sometimes the simplest gestures reveal the biggest hearts.
