Remembering some favorite dads

INDIANOLA, Neb. — Speaking of Father’s Day this week, my dad has been gone for over 25 years. He was a great man! Even though he wasn’t wealthy, he would have given the shirt off his back to help someone in need.

After he retired from Texaco, after 30 years as an oil well pumper, he bought a camper and traveled south in the winter, then north in the summer. One spring, our oldest daughter had to make another emergency trip to Children’s Hospital in Omaha and our vehicle broke down. Neither Farmer Tom nor I could find anyone who would either drive or lend us a car, so my dad rented one from a local car dealer.

I don’t think car rental was in their business venture, but they were just helping us out. (We are still grateful.) This then, from a man who was on a fixed income. Years later, it’s one of the things that we will never forget.

Farmer Tom’s Grandma and Grandpa Burton were also great people. I first met them when they owned a cafe on the highway in Bartley. I also remember a trailer-type rock shop on the lot but don’t know who owned it. I’m sure some of my readers remember too.

Farmer says his grandparents loved those boys unconditionally and gave of their time and money on toys, candy, clothes, and babysitting whenever needed. Tom also had an Uncle Earl that did most of his grandparents’ chores so that his grandpa could then help his dad drive combine at harvest and also drilled wheat. I’m sure having a mentor to drive his machinery was instrumental in Farmer Tom’s family’s success.

Tom talks about Grandpa’s Gleaner combine and an eight-foot John Deere drill that his grandpa had and pulled with a 504 and H International Tractor respectively. (Hopefully, I have these correct.)  

My dad knew the Burtons as they had oil wells on their property. He said they were a family that would help others and I think Farmer Tom takes after his Grandpa Loyd. Grandpa would also come out to the boys’ houses and mow grass even into his elderly years. We all loved him very much!

These last weeks have been a blessing with all the rain except for the folks that got flooded. The wheat has definitely perked up and the grass looks better than it has in years. I laugh at the so-called climate alarmists. As I’ve said before, the weather does whatever God and Mother Nature has in store. We can’t control it, but we can pray.

The latest moisture has probably “made” the wheat crop for whatever it is going to produce, which is a good thing as we were afraid the wheat was going to be another bust this year.

We got hailed out last year and I guess that could happen again, but hopefully, we will spend more time in the combine and tractor/grain cart. Not that I love it, but the bank sure does.  

Farmer Tom, on the other hand, is the ultimate farmer. He loves combining and tractor work, hence he wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.

His health has given him some setbacks, but he can still outwork his older brothers. I don’t think they’ve actually done much physical labor for years, but age is what it is!  

Have a Good One!