He was just a farm boy in city shoes
though his heart lay in the sod
The farm was deep within his soul
along with family faith and God
He left the plains of Iowa
to the Golden state came he
His muddy boots he laid aside
A business man to be
Shirt and tie and shiny shoes
could barely hide his roots
For under it all was a country boy
with cowboy hat and boots
John Deere green was in his blood
old tractors were his thing
He found them worn and rusting
and made their engines sing
Tractor shows and cattle sales
would pull him way up north
To sit with dear old Uncle Keith
who likewise had come forth
The Ag show in Tulare
was an annual pilgrim trip
Each year he journeyed faithfully
for cobbler and tri-tip
Don’t take the farmer
from his field
Don’t take his truck away
It lies within his farmer heart
and he drives it every day
He planted seeds and watered too
the things that he most loved
A bounty crop is what he left-
good Faith is what he grew
A grateful family says goodbye
to our dear old farmer dad
who faithfully wore his city shoes
and kept his family clad
We can’t deny the trail he left
the pathway that he trod
The footprints that he followed
have led to home and God David Kettler, 8/2/13
I wrote this for my dear father-in-law Lloyd Wirtjes who passed away
August 6th 2013 at 1:03AM. I wrote this at five in the morning on August 2nd
when he was very sick. I was able to read it at his funeral service where about
three hundred of his dearest friends gathered to remember an amazing man.
It was an honor.
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