"Such good memories:" Lake Geneva's Playboy Club Hotel Bunnies remember Hugh Hefner
LAKE GENEVA -- Playboy founder Hugh Hefner passed away at the age of 91, but his legacy lives on even here in Wisconsin. Hefner opened the Playboy Club Hotel in Lake Geneva in 1968, and Bunnies who worked there remember him fondly.
The former Bunnies say working at the Playboy Club was the time of their life. They're saddened by Hefner's death but grateful for the opportunities he gave them.
Gail Frantz
"It brought back tons and tons of memories," said former Playboy Bunny Mother, Gail Frantz.
It's not the news you want to hear but for Gail Frantz, learning of Hefner's passing reminded her of a fond era.
"We have such good memories, we had such a wonderful time working at Playboy," said Frantz.
Frantz started at the Playboy Club Hotel just two weeks after it opened in 1968. She went from Bunny to Playboy mother and stayed with the club for 15 years.
"It was like our sorority. We know all of these girls and we liked all of these girls and we respected them," said Frantz.
Frantz met Hefner just once.
"He was very easy to wait on, easy to deal with and very polite to everybody," said Frantz.
Frantz credits the Playboy founder for giving her incredible opportunities, not only brushing elbows with the stars but taking on a role as a leader at the club.
"You're respected as a woman, your opinions counted," said Frantz.
"The man set out some huge goals for himself and he accomplished them," said Pegs Weber, former Playboy Bunny.
Pegs Weber was a Bunny in the early 80s.
"It was one of the hardest working jobs I ever had and one of the most rewarding," Weber said.
Pegs Weber
Weber says the job gave her character and helped build confidence.
"If you could work as a Playboy Bunny at a Playboy club, you could work anywhere," said Weber.
The two women reminisce at a place they remember fondly, looking back on what they say was the time of their lives -- and remembering the man who helped make that way.
"He had a mission in his life and he wanted to say something and I think he did," said Frantz.
The Playboy Club Hotel is now the Grand Geneva Resort. The Bunnies have a big reunion in the works where they will surely pay tribute to Hugh Hefner. A 50-year reunion will be held at the resort in May of 2018.
