In Memoriam

 

Obituary for Neil West, 80

Neil L. West, 80, of Bettendorf (Iowa), passed away Monday, December 19, 2022 at his home.

 Funeral services will be 10am, Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at St John’s United Methodist Church, Davenport. Visitation will be 4-6pm Tuesday at Rafferty Funeral Home, 2111-1st St A, Moline. Burial will be at Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Memorials can be made to The Center (St John’s United Methodist Church), Davenport or Greeneview High School Engineering Lab, Jamestown, Ohio.

Neil was born September 13, 1942, in Springfield, Ohio. He was the only child of Paul H. and Cleo (Little) West. He married Alice Carpenter on August 30, 1964 in Athens, Ohio. She preceded him in death on September 25, 2005. He married Perrine Woller on May 12, 2007, in Moline.

 Neil received a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Ohio University. He was employed at John Deere Technical Center and Harvester Works for 35 years. During that time, he received 13 patents including a device for keeping the radiator clean when operating in very dusty conditions. He was active in the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE), including chairman of the National Grain Harvesting Committee.

 Neil was elected to the Greeneview High School Wall of Honor; the ASAE Quad City selection Member of the Year and received the Quad City Engineering & Science Council 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award.

 Neil was able to fix almost anything from a simple leaky faucet to rewiring a vintage pinball machine. He enjoyed restoring antique tractors and equipment and had a large collection of full size and toy tractors and Ag equipment as well as a 1917 Velie touring car. He was a founding member of the Deer Valley Collectors antique tractor club. He was very active in supporting youth activities in the tractor clubs, plus mentoring a high school robotics team. He established and supported the “West Engineering Lab” at his high school alma mater, in Jamestown, Ohio.

Neil was active in his church and he had been on two mission trips to Haiti. He loved traveling and had been to all seven continents and over 60 countries.

Neil was a Founding Member of Classic Green.

 Survivors include wife, Perrine; daughters, Susan (Nigel) Ray, Boone, Iowa, and Sonja West (Rob Fezekas), Athens, Georgia; step-son Fred (Jen) Woller, Rock Island and grandchildren, Mabel and Graham Fezekas.

Obituary for Mark Redding, 77

Mark Elmo Redding, 77, Burlington, passed away at 5:33 pm Tuesday, November 29, 2022, at Ascension St. Vincent in Kokomo. He was born July 26, 1945, in Logansport, the son of the late Elmo Marion and Hilda Irene (Milburn) Redding. On June 24, 1989, he married Vickie (Allen) in Bringhurst, and she survives.

Mark was a 1963 graduate of Northwestern High School. He worked at Howard County Equipment facility in Kokomo before serving in the United States Army, obtaining the rank of Private First-Class E-7. Mark was a Desert Storm Veteran. In 2001, he retired from Chrysler Corporation after 30 years of service. If you knew Mark, you knew he was a John Deere fanatic. He enjoyed traveling over the country to various tractor shows. Mark was the founding member of the Carroll County Antique Tractor and Machinery Club. He enjoyed boating, as he and his family went on many houseboat trips. Mark loved being a grandpa to his grandchildren.

In addition to his wife Vickie, Mark is survived by his children, Darren Redding, Rocquel (Brian) Cigal, and Rick Flory; grandchildren, Allie Cigal, Riley Cigal, Sydney Flory, Jackson Flory, and Brady Flory; siblings, William (Cheri) Redding, and Rebecca (David) Crosby; and sister-in-law, Doneta Redding.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Benny Redding, and Marion Redding.

A funeral service will be held at 10 am Monday, December 5, 2022, at Stout & Son Funeral Home-Neptune Chapel, 44 Michigan Rd., Burlington, with Pastor Mike Williams officiating. Burial will follow in Burlington Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the United States Army and the Burlington American Legion Military Rites Team. Friends may visit with the family 2 pm to 5 pm Sunday, December 4, 2022, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Carroll County Antique Tractor & Machinery Club in Mark’s memory. Messages of condolence may be left online at www.stoutandson.com.

Obituary for Craig Eldon Trumm, 79

Eldon E. Trumm, 79 of Worthington, Iowa passed away Sunday, September 18, 2022, at home.

Visitation will be held from 3 - 8 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville. Visitation will continue at Kramer Funeral Home from 8:45 – 9:45 a.m. prior to funeral mass.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at St. Paul Catholic Church in Worthington with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Chris Podhajsky will officiate with Rev. Mark Osterhaus concelbrating.

Eldon was born on April 20, 1943 in Monticello, Iowa, the son of Leo and Coletta (Heid) Trumm. He married Kaye Burger on June 21, 1969 in Worthington, Iowa. Together they farmed and raised their family in Worthington.

Eldon spent over 50 years collecting farm toys, writing “farm toy collecting” books, and manufacturing his own toy tractors and parts. He was known around the world as a contact for farm toy information. He was inducted in the Farm Toy Collectors Hall of Fame.

As a former Mayor of Worthington and successful farmer, Eldon also dedicated his time planting & caring for the cornfield at the Field of Dreams movie site which was produced the summer of 1988. Hollywood knew they chose the right caretaker as unbeknownst, he kicked the producer & director off the field not wanting them to damage the corn “the most important actor in this movie”.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Kaye, children: Tony (Heather) Trumm of Dyersville, Gwen (Randy) Maro of Davenport, Nate (Bethany) Trumm of Dyersville, Nick (Emily) Trumm of Dyersville, grandchildren: Lydia Trumm, Tyler, Leah, and Mitchel Maro, Vivian and Grant Trumm, Greyson, Bodey, and Deagan Trumm, siblings: Donald (Patricia) Trumm of Dubuque, Dorothy (Duane) Gorman of Dubuque, Steve Trumm of Cascade, in-laws: Robert DeShaw, Mary Catherine Trumm, Dave “Crocket” (Linda) Burger, and Marian Burger.

He was preceded in death by his parents, parents-in-law, Raymond and Marcella Burger-Wolfe, siblings: Paul Trumm, Bernadine DeShaw, LaVern “Barney” Trumm, Mary (Paul) Kluesner, Ernie Trumm, in-laws: Darlene (Merrill “Bud”) Smock, John Burger, Carl “Cub” Burger, and Wilma “Billie” Wolfe.

Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville is assisting the family and information is available at www.kramerfuneral.com. Online condolences and memorials may be sent to Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW, Dyersville, IA 52040.

Obituary for Craig Alan Detwiler, 56

Craig Alan Detwiler, 56, of Goshen passed away unexpectedly Tuesday June 7, 2022 at his residence. He was born July 19, 1965 in Goshen to Thomas and Rosemary (Yoder) Detwiler.

Surviving are his parents Thomas and Rosemary of Spencer, Wisconsin, siblings Patrick (Abby) Detwiler of Colby, WI, Robert (Dana) Detwiler of Medford, WI, nieces Katelyn Detwiler, Josephine Detwiler and a nephew Alessandro Detwiler.

Craig graduated from Wausau West High School in 1985. He moved back to Goshen in 1993. Craig worked at Hamilton Iron Works as a metal fabricator. He attended Pleasant Grove Mennonite Church. Craig was very active in steam engine shows. He was a member of the Northeast Indiana Steam and Gas Association at LaGrange and involved in the tractor and steam show at the Apple Festival in Nappanee. He traveled the country to attend steam engine shows in Iowa, Oklahoma, Ohio, and many in Indiana. He did extensive research into the Banting Manufacturing Company, Toledo Ohio due to his great interest in the Greyhound steam engine which Banting made.

A public Celebration of Life/Memorial Service will be held at a date to be determined.

Rieth Rohrer Ehret Funeral Home, Goshen, is assisting the family and online contributions may be submitted at, www.rrefh.com

Obituary for Tom Smith, 63

Thomas W. Smith, 63, of Mount Airy, Maryland, died Feb. 26, 2022, in his home surrounded by love. Born July 14, 1958 in Maryland, he was the son of the late Roy Lee and Ruth Marie (Stokes) Smith.

Tom is survived by his wife of 26 years, Beth Smith; two sisters, Jeanette Broadwater and Linda Jenkins (Mike); four nieces; five great-nieces; one great-great nephew; and one daughter in heart. He was also survived by his two dogs and 14 myotonic goats.

Tom's love of agriculture started in the eighth grade with the Gaithersburg FFA. Though he held many jobs, he enjoyed the last 17 years he spent at Gladhill Brothers, Damascus, and especially, his final three months at Tractor Supply in Mount Airy.

Over the years, he had many hobbies, enjoying the 75/80 Dragway, the Maryland Two-Cylinder Club, Team Tuna Can Racing, and the Mason Dixon Myotonic Goat Club. He held many positions at the Damascus Community Fair, and his greatest love of all was the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. He was a lifetime member with more than 1,000 volunteer hours in Old MacDonald's Barn. She spent the last 14 years as superintendent.

A celebration of life will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 3 in the Heritage Room of the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his memory to the Tom Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds, 16 Chestnut St., Gaithersburg, MD 20877.