In Memory of Robert M. Evans
1927-2001
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This page is dedicated to Dad. Following his belief that life on a farm is the best classroom in the world, he and Mom bought a farm in 1964. We six kids are so ever grateful for that experience. Despite Dad working us like rented mules at times, we never really thought of it as work. He had a knack for making even the most mundane tasks fun. Everything seemed like an adventure to us. Instructor, disciplinarian, repairman...he was all that to us and more. After retirement, Dad got involved in the Land of Legend Antique Tractor Club. We are all carrying forward with what he got started.
All of us miss you.
| The "Dad-ism" Dictionary "That's above your breakfast"-- Term used for a task that required reaching over your head with a load that you can't handle. "Quit pushin' that hammer"--Instruction to swing a hammer instead of jabbing the head against a nail. Amazing how much better this works, and one of the top five life lessons. Incredible how many of our adult buddies don't know this technique. "Reprobate"--derogatory term used for just about anything, but was particularly used in reference to an ill-tempered, evil Hereford brood cow we had. I thought Dad had coined this term, but the dictionary defines reprobate as "a depraved or profligate person." Very fitting. "You don't have enough in your pants"--this term was used to let you know that you were too small and/or weak for a particular task. When I was young, I thought this simply meant that my butt wasn't big enough for the job. It dawned on me as an adult that this phrase may have referred to another part of my anatomy. Probably the latter. "That's a John Hisson fix"--This referenced a mythical (maybe real) person that had extremely poor mechanical ability. "Puschnookie"--A jargon term Dad probably learned when he was a plumber/pipefitter and refers to sewage or some other foul, slimy material. "Ookumpucky"--Universal term for pipe dope, joint sealant, and caulking. Likely another plumber word. "Maggot Wagon"--The catering truck that arrived on a job site during morning coffee break. "Turd Hearse"--Manure spreader. "Calf-slobber pie"--Lemon Meringue pie. "Old Dead Bird."--Thanksgiving dinner. "Goose liver."--Braunschweiger. "It'll put hair on your chest!" or "It'll make your hair curly!"--Dad's attempt at being persuasive when his kids--both male and female--showed reluctance to partake of "disgusting" foods such as brussel sprouts and goose liver. "Tell me a question"--Dad's prelude to a question he was about to ask. "Glad you got to see me!"--Dad's parting comment at the end of a visit. "Nice day for it!"--Dad's usual reply to a greeting of "Nice day!" "52 Acres and all you damn dogs have to be right under my feet!"--Feigned disgust with all the Sunday morning visiting dogs that always crowded around him. No wonder! His pockets were always loaded with dog biscuits. "Thundermug"--toilet "Johnny-trots" or "G.I.-trots"--the common occurrence of having to flee to the thundermug, which was usually preceded by a night of consuming bad beer. "Old Navajo trick"--term Dad applied to his masterful alternative uses for common tools, or special techniques. Dad had dozens of these, which were usually employed to deliver himself or others from undesirable situations. "An Indian taught me that."--what Dad would say after using one of his "Old Navajo tricks." "Can't you do that in your head?"--question Dad asked anyone who, unlike himself, was unable to perform complex mathematical operations mentally without the use of a calculator or paper and pencil. "Do I have to do everything for you?"--what Dad would say while wresting tools from our hands in the midst of projects where we didn't have enough in our pants. "Do you like that better than a truck?"--question Dad asked anyone who owned a Ford or Dodge truck. (By the way... Dad's last 3 trucks were Fords!) "Watch me."--Dad's defiant, confident response when told he couldn't do something. -the
Boys |
"What IS that boy doing now?" The look on Dad's face says it all. Mike's probably got the boomer chains on wrong. With a hint of body language and a well-rehearsed facial expression, Dad could deliver the equivalent of a 10-minute butt-chewing without saying a word.
Loading out the 400 after the Hartford Fair.
To promote unity and camaradie, the Tractor Club recommends the avoidance of inflammatory slogans and speech. Some folks just think the rules don't apply to them. Dad keeping the pot stirred up, Hartford Fair 2000.
"BOY! I'm only gonna show you this once!"
"D'ya mind repeatin' that?" Can't you just feel the good vibes oozing from this photo? Oh to be a clod of dirt listening in on this! Dad and Arlan Zimmerman squaring off at one of the Plow Days. Actually, Arlan is explaining to Dad how to adjust plow depth. Dad was running Arlan's JD 820 and getting the plows too deep. They were pretty good friends in spite of the different tractor color allegiances. This picture needs a JD and a Farmall parked nose-to-nose in the background-- red vs. green. That would be cool!.
Above and right: two photos from 1998 of Dad at the Fair with his beloved Regular.
Dad
doing what he loved. Swap the M and the three bottoms with the H and the
two bottoms, this picture could be a scene from 1966. This field always plowed
hard. This was Dad's last plowing of the farm. He passed away three weeks
after this picture was taken in April 2001.
On the day of Dad's funeral, Bill Duff (above wearing hat), a friend of Mike's and apparently Dad, came to the house with this Ertl Farmall M toy pedal tractor. Duff had Dad's name inscribed on the tractor. What is so special about this (it's not clear in this photo at right), is that Duff stood in line at a toy/model show for two hours so that Mr. Ertl himself could autograph the pedal tractor. Dad had bought an M-M RTI from Duff as a favor. Mom was so moved by this very personal and heartfelt gift of an Ertl autographed tractor that she gave the RTI back to Duff after Dad died.
Right: the 2001 Hartford Fair Parade was brought to a halt midway through its run so that a special event could be held to honor Dad. Here, Larry Lane, a Tractor Club and Hartford Fair Board member is presenting Mom with a plaque in memory of Dad. John McDavid, the Hartford Fair Secretary, read the plaque's inscription over the Fair's PA system. This event was a total surprise to the entire family and was very moving.