March 2017 President’s Message

I’m going to try something new. I want to bring to the membership short stories from our own group. I hope you will enjoy this.

My guests for the first story are Duane and Anna Mae Boyd, Charter members of CIGC. Duane tells me that he was born and lived southwest of Herscher on his family’s farm near 15000W & 7000S where their son still lives. He attended Grubwood Grade School and later Herscher High School. Anna Mae says she was born in Gardner and moved to Bonfield in the 7th grade. She attended the Shreffler Grade School near her home. She later attended Reddick High School and because of redistricting moved to the Herscher High School as a junior. HHS is where she met and married Duane. They have been married 65 years!

As adults, the Boyds both worked off of the farm. Duane went to work for ComEd (then called Public Service Company of IL) for 39 years. He held several positions including Groundman, Lineman, Trouble-man and Crew Leader where he retired from. Anna Mae worked at St. Mary’s, Leiser’s and later at Turk’s Furniture Manufacturing in Bradley. When daughter Linda (Messerlie) and son Ronald came along, Anna Mae became a full time mom. The Boyds have 3 grandchildren, Ryan working in San Francisco for Groupon, Keith, living in Buckley and drives for Manitow Trucking and Kevin who recently became the manager of Right on Target, Bourbonnais, a gun shop and range.

The Boyds farmed his father’s farm part-time until about 5 years ago with their son, Ron. Anna Mae says she has helped farm and has driven all of their tractors except the John Deere
4630. She says it was just too big. They own a JD 4020 and a JD 730 that we have seen them plow with. They also own Anna Mae’s father’s International M. Grandson Keith restored it.
Keith has also taken over the full time farming duties for the family. Duane also owns his father’s JD H and a Case DC which still needs a little TLC. Duane also collects a few toy
tractors which he enjoys at home. As president, I am very pleased to have the Boyds as cornerstone members of the Central Illinois Green Club.

Craig Long

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