Farmers go extra mile to help a friend

Seeing combines in the fields this time of year is ordinary. Yet, the combines that have been seen in some fields in the Sunman area were being operated by men who are anything but ordinary.

These men are a group of volunteers who together decided a friend would not lose 1000 acres of crops after a tragic accident claimed his life.

On September 17, the world as she knew it would forever change for Rosalie Broughton, when her husband, Hurless, was killed in an automobile accident not five miles from their home near Sunman.

What happened next was an incredible act of neighborly kindness that Mrs. Broughton described as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"We buried him on a Wednesday," she recalled, "and by the weekend this group of neighbors, area farmers, friends and family had devised a plan to make sure Hurless wouldn't lose the crops he had planted in the spring."

Headed up by Eugene Cappel, who had over 600 acres of his own to harvest, the group systematically set up a plan that would see the last of the soybeans coming out of the fields last week. The plan would include many volunteers giving their time and use of farm equipment.

"They were incredible," noted Mrs. Broughton, who said her husband had operated the farm with help from Joe Hountz, but she knew nothing about the process.

Retired from GE, Mr. Broughton devoted his time to the farming operation, even completing all of his own paperwork. "I didn't realize even how involved the paperwork was," Mrs. Broughton sighed.

At a meeting held at the Broughton's home Cappel said, "We set objectives, looked at the resources we had available and decided to have a safe, injury-free harvest."
For Cappel this endeavor was bittersweet - he had lost a very dear friend. The two were neighbors and friends and many a cold winter evening was spent at Cappel's place strategizing their plans for the future.

Cappel had purchased a new combine recently and he talked Mr. Broughton into getting one as well. "He had it about a week before the accident," began Mrs. Broughton, who said he did get to share the joy of the new piece of equipment with another joy in his life - his 2-year-old granddaughter, Allison Linser, who proudly sat in the cab with her Grandpa. "He didn't get to run it in the fields though."

But, the new Case IH 2366 combine did run in the very fields intended - by Cappel.

Everybody pitched in with the Broughton's children, daughter Melissa, who is married to Ben Linser of College Hill and son Travis, who works at the Greater Cincinnati Airport and lives in Delhi, OH, both coming over and doing anything they could to help. "They unloaded grain and even climbed the steps to the top of the grain bin to open the top, which scared me," noted Mrs. Broughton.

"Rosalie would wash the windows and clean the cab of the combine everyday," noted Cappel, who says his idea of a safe work place is a clean one. Everyone pulled together doing what they could.

Joe Hountz, 73, had been employed for Mr. Broughton for the past 13 years, so he knew a lot of the farming operation. He was referred to as "the boss," and kept the others "straight." But he didn't boss from the sidelines. He was right in the middle of the work, hauling grain and much more.

"Without the help of Nick
Fritsch, Dennis and Dan Rosemeyer, Kenny Gutapfel, Leo Moster and oh so many more, we couldn't have done this," Cappel noted.

A relative, Randy Broughton of Milan, was also instrumental in helping the group. Although he had over 1300 acres of his own to harvest he still helped get in his nephew's crops. It took a team effort, from harvesting the beans, to getting them were they needed to be, and Don Kocher helped in the area of making sure trucks were where they needed to be.

The farming operation wasn't all grain and Cappel said over 100 head of cattle also had to be tended to. Ronnie Cox of Holton, helped with shipping out some of them.

Other men who are in their 70's were named as "leg work guys" - Frances Schwab and Glen Roepke.

With tears streaming down her face, Mrs. Broughton said, "There are no amount of words I can say to thank everyone." To which Cappel immediately responded, "If something would have happened to us - he (Hurless) would have done the same." The two embraced sharing grief in the loss of someone they deeply loved.

Because most of the volunteers owned red pick up trucks, they were dubbed "The Red Truck Gang," performing acts of kindness that will never be forgotten.

They just volunteered with no expectation of anything but the satisfaction of getting the job completed.

Mrs. Broughton continues to work at the Sunman Elementary School where she has been employed in the cafeteria for 20 years. "I can never thank everyone enough," she said remembering her co-workers support along with her boss, Mrs. Cindy Morton, principal.

Describing the death of her husband as a big mountain, Mrs.
Broughton said, "It's a long way to the top."

When the crop dust has settled and the combine sits idle, Mrs. Broughton knows she'll have a lot of time to think of her husband. She knows that will be tough. But, the memories of such a loving, caring host of family and friends will be what finally carries her over that mountain.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO

Joe Hountz, described as the "boss" climbs up on a grain wagon to check how full it is. He is one of many who has helped with getting the crops in for the Broughtons.