My career as a mechanic began when I was in Germany in the Army in 1957. I got out of the military Dec 1957 and went job hunting. I got a job working as a mechanic for the John Deere dealership in Lewistown which is the same building the parts store is in today. In 1958 I started dating this college girl. We got married in June 1959. In 1960 I quit my job at John Deere and Nina and I started a bus
iness and a family. We had a lot to learn about both. I trusted people and had problems with too much on the books. Bud Felter and I were partners in the business for about a year, but there was not enough for two so he went to something else. The building I started in was an old service station on the east edge of Lewistown. I sold gas, fixed tires and did mechanic work. I was busy pumping gas and trying to get some mechanic work done. My labor rate was $3.00 per hour. Times were tough, Nina had to quit her teaching job because of the baby. After about two years I moved the business up town in the back part of the firehouse. I hired Cecil Tate as a mechanic. He was with me until 1968 when I decided to try something else. I went to St. Charles and taught in a high school vo-tech school. That only lasted for one school year 68-69. I liked the job and the kids, but this country boy could not adjust to big city life, so we came back and opened the business back up as I still had most of my tools and equipment and they were still in the firehouse building. When Mackie Johnston closed the John Deere dealership I rented his shop and moved there. I later purchased the buildings and lots from him. It took a long time to pay for it and he was very generous in waiting on the payments but I finally got it paid for. When David, our oldest, graduated from high school I asked him if he wanted to manage a parts store for us and he did. He did a great job getting the parts store started. He left to run a store in Glasgow. He now owns that store. Then Joe, another son, managed the store. He is at present managing the Car Quest store in Quincy IL. Steve, another son, is presently managing the parts store and Jake, another son, and Tammy, a daughter, are working in the store. Rusty Schultz, not related, also works in the parts store. Throughout the years I have had several mechanics in the shop; to name a few Walt Kackley, Dave Brumbaugh, Mike Fulton, Jerry McKenzie, Cecil Tate, Tony Kimberley, Mike McKenzie, another son, and at present Chaz Boatman. My lifetime ambition was to be a mechanic and own my own business. Life has been good to me, I had those things and I am eighty years old and still working. I did not do this all on my own, my wife, my family, my employees and God had a lot to do with it and not to mention all the good customers I had through the years and still have. Thanks! We appreciate your business. Without customers a business is nothing.
