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For Meekers, annual show is family reunion

Bill and Kay Meeker and their family are regulars at most Oliver shows, and this year’s Oliver get-together at the Western Illinois Threshers Show was no exception.

This show was a family and friend event for Bill. “My dad and grandpa bought a new Oliver 70 in 1942, which we still have,” he said. “I bought my first Oliver in January 1963, a 1954 Oliver 88 diesel, to farm with. Over the years we farmed with several different Oliver tractors. I purchased my first collector tractor in 1987, which was a 1931 Oliver 18-28.”

As mentioned earlier, this is a family hobby. “Kay likes it,” he added. “She has a hand in it.”

The Meekers live in North Henderson, Ill., and hauled a Super 88 Diesel Hi-Crop and a 77 Diesel Standard to the show in Hamilton. “I bought parts from Lyle Dumont and put this together with one that we had. I needed help, and Gary Spitznogle restored it about 10 years ago,” Bill shared.

Besides his Oliver 88, Bill also had a 1953 Oliver 77 Standard diesel on-site. He said this tractor had been restored for about five or six years: “Les Young restored it for us.”

Wayne Calvert, a friend, had a beautiful 1958 Oliver 990, a 371 three-cylinder GM diesel, Bill said. It was clear he knows all the details of the Oliver brand no matter what the make and model.
Gary, who has restored several of Bill’s tractors, had around 18 tractors at the show. Bill said Gary’s 950 six-cylinder diesel was next to his 995 Oliver three-cylinder, two-cycle tractor that has a GM diesel with a torque connector. He said this brand is a Lugomatic, which “keeps the engine RPM up,” Bill explained.

Bill acted as ringleader to gather many of the Oliver owners to pose for pictures with their beautiful tractors. He even set up a numerical grouping of an Oliver 99, 88, 77 and 66.

 Kenny Grimm of Goose Lake, Iowa, showed off his 1946 Oliver 99. Bill and Kay posed with their Diesel Hi-Crop. Terry Allen showed his Oliver 88 and Sam Meeker, Bill’s son, and five-year-old Blake, his grandson, posed with their Oliver 77. Gary shared his 1550 and his Oliver 66.

While there were lineups of many tractors through the show’s daily parade and an array of beautiful brands, no group had more fun and more pride in their tractors than the Oliver gang. For them, this show was a chance to gather as family and friends, united by a common interest.
 
Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.

11/4/2009