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Serving others comes natural for this Waldensian

Jennifer Frew | The News Herald

Gustavo Giovanni Tron speaks about his Waldensian heritage from his home in Valdese. Tron has been recognized by the Rotary Club of Valdese for his years of service in the community.

By Sharon McBrayer | The News Herald

Published: November 20, 2008

Morganton - For Waldensians in the area, he is a connection to the Old Country.
He's also an example when it comes to serving.
It's the service for which Gustavo Giovanni Tron, better known to friends as Gus, was recognized this week.
The Rotary Club of Valdese honored Tron with its Service Above Self award. The honor is given to a person who is committed to the improvement of the quality of life in Valdese through his or her efforts and resources, according to information from the club.
Tron serves on the boards of the Trail of Faith, the Waldensian Heritage Museum, the American Waldensian Aid Society and Burke United Christian Ministries.
For Tron, 82, serving is Biblical and just something his family and church ingrained in him. The Bible, he said, tells us we should help our neighbor.
"It's in our genes throughout the centuries ... that's one of the things we do," Tron said. "It has to be part of our life."
Tron was 22 years old when he came to America from the Massel region of Italy just after World War II.
Much of Europe suffered hard times after the war and unemployment was rampant, he said. Tron, who still speaks with a thick accent, was enrolled at a university in Italy and got the chance to be a university exchange student. Tron speaks Italian, French and Patois, a dialect spoken in the region of Italy where he grew up.
When he got to the New World, Tron wanted to see a diversity of places. He intended to return to Italy and take his experiences from America with him.
He first landed at a university in Ohio, later transferring to a university in Pennsylvania.
But he knew about Valdese. Many from his village in the surrounding area knew about Valdese and had relatives who lived in the town.
Tron's father, along with his mother, came to Valdese from Italy around the first decade of the 20th Century to serve as the pastor at what is now the Waldensian Presbyterian Church. They stayed for three years, returning to Italy to raise a family.
Part of Tron's lessons on serving came out of the hardship that Europe experienced after the war. Relatives who had moved to Valdese and became prosperous would send relief packages back home.
Those lessons also came from the Waldensian Church. Tron said Waldensians in Italy are well-known in the country for having institutions that care for the elderly, sick and unwed, expectant mothers.
When Tron came to America, he wanted to see the town that he had heard so much about.
"I had a desire to come here and see this place and make contact with the largest Waldensian community in the U.S.," Tron said.
It was during vacation trips to Valdese to see friends of his parents that he met a young girl.
He eventually transferred to Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, graduating in 1951. He ended up marrying that young girl, Frances Hearn, and calling Valdese home. The couple had three children and Tron worked as a designer for Drexel Heritage, eventually becoming a vice president.
Even though he has spent much of his retirement serving, having the Rotary Club of Valdese honor him is a little embarrassing, Tron said.
"... There are plenty of people in the community who do 10 times more than I do," Tron said.