Former Oliver/White tractor plant workers reunite at Dave’s

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

Dave’s Restaurant had a big breakfast crowd on Thursday, Feb. 29, as former employees of the Oliver/White tractor plant came together for an informal reunion.

Planned by Duane Kirby and Dick Neal, the morning get-together has long been on their minds, but only recently did they start to make efforts to organize the event.

“We thought about it for several years,” said Neal, who spent 23 years working in the tractor plant’s repair department. “We decided it was time to do it.”

Getting the word out through phone calls, social media, posters, and advertisements, Neal and Kirby reached out to as many former plant employees as they could. Not just those still in Charles City, but down to Clarksville and Waverly as well.

“We didn’t know if we were going to have five or 50,” said Neal.

The turnout ended up being closer to the latter.

Two antique tractors, brought in by Dean Tjaden and Gary Quade, parked outside the restaurant to make sure people knew they were in the right place.

Shortly after 8 a.m., the dining room of Dave’s Restaurant was packed with former plant employees, spilling out into the adjacent tables and booths as the wait staff scrambled to find enough coffee cups for everyone.

“I’m amazed there’s this many here,” said John Culbertson. “They all look pretty good.”

Among the oldest of the former employees, Culbertson started at the tractor plant in 1958, working as a lawyer and investor relations manager, and stayed with the company through its changes and acquisitions over the decades, even working for three more years after the plant closed in 1993.

“I was the next to last person to leave when it was over,” said Culbertson.

Culbertson has written a book, “The Tractor Builders,” detailing the history and people that worked at the plant. Still active and spry in his 90s, Culbertson said he was happy to make the morning drive from Waverly to meet with former friends and colleagues.

“I’m still amazed at how many people came,” said Culbertson. “They did a good job getting the word out.”

Though it’s been more than 30 years since the plant closed, camaraderie among those that worked there persists. Groups of people filled tables to meet and share their memories and experiences of working at the plant.

“People enjoyed working there,” said Clifford Kelly, who was an electrician at the plant from 1972 to 1984. “There was a lot of loyalty to the organization.”

Happy with the turnout of the reunion, Neal says that he’d like to organize this kind of get-together on a more regular basis. Especially as the opportunities to meet with the older alumni inevitably become harder to facilitate.

“It would be nice to do another one,” said Neal. “Maybe in the summertime.”