HOF Members

Les Layton

I would like you to consider inducting Les Layton into the EDGE&TA Hall of Fame at the National Show at Pottsville in June of 2023.

Les Layton is a person that has worn many hats over the years in his support of EDGE&TA Branch 15 as well as the EDGE&TA National organization and the hobby in general.

He is a charter member of EDG&TA Branch 15, since 1971, he has held several local and national offices including: Branch 15 President 1973-1976, Branch 15 Vice President 1978-1981, National Director West of
Mississippi 1981-1986, and again Branch 15 President 1989-1991. Les and his wife, Dee, were also the editors of the Branch 15 Backfire newsletter for several years

His involvement at a national level began at 16th Annual National EDG&TA meet in 1976, when National officers were not present and concerns were raised about lack of involvement; leading himself and others in 1977 to acquire a Power of Attorney, retrieve control of the accounts and reenergize the National Organization. Les also was the EDGE&TA National Director of the states west of the Mississippi River from
1986 to 1991.

Les initiated the first Branch 15 Swap Meet, starting with 4 trailers and has faithfully participated in the event which has now grown to over 100 venders in some years.

When Branch 15 built the Wolf Iron Works building in 2016, Les was instrumental in creating the Branch 15 reference library that is housed in the upper floor of the building. Many of the magazines and books that
started the library came from his personal collection.

During the winter months each year, Branch 15 has a Saturday Class on the last Saturday of each month. Since the beginning, Les has been one of key people in facilitating these classes.

Les has also been a key person in the early years of Western Antique Powerland, which is now known at
the Powerland Heritage Park. He has served in many capacities at Western Antique Powerland (WAPI) –
the Great Oregon Steam Up- as Director of WAPI, Show Manager for several years, tractor pull flagger, parade wrangler, chief fork lift driver and so much more. And in the 50 plus years he has only missed one
opportunity to display at Great Oregon Steam Up (with great protest and consternation) as he was stuck in rehab with a broken leg.

In addition, he was founding member of Antique Implement Society (AIS) which served those wishing to make donations to further the hobby. He served as Director 1977-1985 and President 1997-2000.

He also participated yearly as part of Branch 15 at Northwest Car Collector Show displaying special engines and tractors to promote EDGE&TA – A prefect union of his love of old farm equipment and vintage cars.
Over the years Les has been an exhibitor or spectator at most of the engine shows in the western states. He also has been a traveling companion of mine and has traveled to the Nuenen engine show in Holland,
as well as the Coolspring engine show in Pennsylvania. He has as visited many of the premier engine collections in Europe, Canada, and including many collections in the Eastern and Midwest parts of the United States.

His knowledge of mechanic skills and history of the hobby are a resource that many of us often take advantage of. I am glad to know him as a friend and traveling companion and feel that he is one of the most qualified people to be considered and should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Thanks.
George Best

Duane Nelson

Duane Nelson has been a member of the St. Croix Valley Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association Branch 1 since 1969 (54 years) when he began collecting engines , pre 1930 tractors and miscellaneous cars and trucks.

He served as Vice President several times during the 1970’s and 1980’s. He has also been a Director for several terms in the last 54 years. Since 2017 he has been the Branch Membership & Safety Director.

Duane is also active in helping to produce the club newsletter which is important in keeping members informed of shows, meeting dates and important club business. Other family members are serving in other various positions, including his wife Nancy who is President, son Gary who is Vice President and son Jeff who is Secretary. Both sons have involved with the hobby since birth.

The members of Branch 1 feel Duane should be chosen for the EDGETA Hall of Fame for not only being a member for 54 years but also because he has been instrumental in keeping Branch 1 growing. He is a great spokesman who does a great job promoting this hobby and the club.

Alvin Bartleson

Al has been a valued member of our club for 19 years. He immediately started serving the club working the shows, selling raffle tickets at remote events, and serving on the “Tuesday Crew”.

“Tuesday Crew” is our name for those members who come every Tuesday to maintain and improve our grounds and equipment. Al faithfully served on the Tuesday Crew for many years until health issues slowed him down.

Al has been working our shows for all 19 years. In his early days, he drove the people wagon around to give guests an easy way to get from display to display, and helped with our demonstrations. These days, he is the friendly and encouraging face at the gate, welcoming and directing our guests.

Al has often taken on some of the less prestigious tasks of shows. Al recognized the need for more trash receptacles and supplied them, and he also was the guy behind the scenes making sure they were emptied and maintained.

Away from the grounds, Al and his wife Brenda continue to promote our club by participating in local parades and festivals. He and Brenda are often at events in Houston, Licking, Republic, and Cabool, showing off our raffle tractor and selling tickets to win it.

Al has also made many unseen donations of lumber or materials to help build and maintain our grounds and buildings. Al is not one of those high profile members who everyone notices, but he has consistently worked for all these years to improve our club. Let us surprise Al by letting him know we noticed all the things he has done for our club.

Judith Durfey

Lewis-Clark Antique Power Club, Inc., EDGE&TA Br. 54 is pleased to nominate Judith Durfey for Hall of Fame recognition for her outstanding, steadfast leadership as president the past 5 years starting in 2018. Further, Judith was re-elected to serve again as president for 2023 (her 6th consecutive term). And, in 2019 she took on the additional job of editing/producing the outstanding club newsletters (aka, THE LUBRICATOR).

It was back in 2017 during Branch 54’s winter meeting, agenda item—elections, then president David Ruark threaten to lock the exit door of the meeting room until a member volunteered to run for presidency! After a long pause, when no long-term member spoke up, Judith, a relatively new member, raised her hand and said, “Heck, I’ll do it”. She had just recently retired from Washington State University where she was one of the most senior administrative professionals on campus— serving as admin assistant to the Vice President of Business Affairs. So, she brought a wealth of talent to the presidency of Branch 54 with an impressive “skill-set” to guide the club through the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions and beyond. Her communication skills are top-shelf. She sends timely email notices to club members—keeping members posted on coming events to include our sister club’s activities, Branch 197 located in Spokane, WA and the National EDGE&TA.

Further, Judith is a “farm-girl”. She grew up on a family farm in the lower Yakima Valley of Washington State. And, after a college undergraduate degree in accounting, she married a farmer. Together they farmed in the Tri-Cities area of the state. In the 1980s when farm loan interest rates went through-the-roof, the Durfey family made the decision to move to Pullman, Washington where her husband would enter graduate school in Agriculture Mechanization and Engineering. Following graduate school, her husband went on to become the director/instructor of the Agriculture Technology & Management program at Washington State University. So, Judith has had a wealth of exposure to agriculture in the northwest over the years.

Judith has been tireless in her support of Branch 54 member collections and exhibiting of same at fair, shows and special events. Judith and her husband have collected unstyled model A John Deere tractors, stationary engines and implements like rock-crushers. She has also demonstrated strong support for the Eastern Washington Agricultural Museum located in Pomeroy, WA.

Further, she has demonstrated resourcefulness in helping find new venues for the Branch 54 quarterly meetings. Her many contributions as president of Branch 54 can best be characterized as a herculean effort.

L to R: Judith Durfey, President of Branch 54, pictured making a HOF presentation to club member Arlin Colborg in 2021.

Kathie Rosenquist

We have had the pleasure of working with Kathie Rosenquist as board members and committee members over the past 25 plus years. Kathie has spent countless hours over the years working on behalf of Branch 15 with both activities and operations. She has been instrumental in the planning, completion and operation of our Wolf Ironworks Museum at Powerland Heritage Park in Brooks, Oregon.

Kathie and her husband David have attended many National EDGE&TA Shows representing our club, including the 2016 National Show in Palmer, Alaska. If there is a meeting or an activity that Branch 15 is involved in, Kathie will most always be there.

We have found that Kathie has great organizational skills and is creative in finding solutions to succeed in whatever project is at hand. She is easy to work with and is an inspiration to everyone working with her. Many times Kathie has stepped up to take on a board position or committee when no one else was willing to make a commitment. Branch 15 and EDGE&TA owe Kathie a debt of gratitude for all of her hard work and perseverance over the past many years and her continued commitment for the future.

Ed Weidinger

Ed Weidinger was part of a small group of individuals that got together at a friend’s place to share their love for old iron and times long past. It started as a group event but soon started to draw people from the local areas as spectators. By 1988 the group decided to join EDGE&TA, becoming Branch 29. Ed has always been involved with the growth of our club, expressing his opinions on issues good or bad. He served as President of Branch 29 until 1999.

He always shows up for club work days and has always been involved with the planting of wheat for our threshing bee. Ed displays his shingle mill every year making shingles during our show. For many years he set up a trailer with small engines and hand crank corn huskers for the kids to enjoy.

Ed is also one of our announcers during our show keeping the crowd entertained with his many stories and anecdotes.

Submitted by: Ken Amann, President Branch 29

Cheryl Kuschel

Dorothy Locke

Arlin Colborg

Members of the Lewis-Clark Antique Power Club, Inc. (Branch 54) are pleased to nominate Arlin Colborg for induction into the National Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Branch 54 and is the branch 54 Safety Officer. Arlin is a “country boy” having grown up in northwest Kansas. He has fond memories of operating his father’s model 70 standard John Deere diesel tractors and 420 John Deere. Arlin traveled from Kansas to the University of Idaho; located in Moscow, ID; to attend graduate school in the college of agriculture. After grad school he made northern Idaho his home.

Branch 54 is honoring Arlin for his enthusiastic participation and loyal support of club meetings and activities. In addition being an elected Board Member and safety officer he sponsors the club’s slow tractor drive (5 mph) and he is the co-chairman of the 10 mph tractor drive—helping plan, organize and carrying out both events in a safe manner. And, every fall Arlin is an eager participate in the club’s “recreational straw baling” project. Typically 800 to 1000 small bales of wheat straw are cut, raked and baled with vintage equipment and sold to offset fuel and other cost. Further, Arlin is an exemplary restoration mechanic and is an expert welder/metal fabricator. In addition to his own projects he volunteers to do welding and lathe work for club members. Arlin has a professional pop-corn popper and he provides pop-corn snacks at branch 54’s January quarterly meeting which is held indoors and features a silent ‘fund raising” auction. He has a glorious 1940 John Deere model B tractor that he restored and it is the tractor he drives on the 5mph slow drive.

Brief summary of contributions—Arlin is a stalwart member who has contributed significantly over the years to Branch 54. He serves as a Board of Director member and club safety officer. Also, he has contributed much to all of the club’s meetings, activities and preservation and restoration of antiques. Branch 54 strongly supports his nomination for EDGE&TA’s HOF.

Arlin with his restored 1940 John Deere B tractor in front of his shop.

Arlin participating in “Recreational Straw Baling” pulling a24T JD baler with a Ford 8N tractor

A scene from one of Arlin’s slow tractor drives.

Randy Tiede

Members of Lewis-Clark Antique Power Club, Inc. (Branch 54) are pleased to nominate Randy Tiede for induction into the National Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association Hall of fame. Randy is fully committed to the objectives of our local and national organizations. Since 2007 he has been a Board of Director of Branch 54 and is a constant contributor.

Brief summary of why he should be chosen—Randy has been a long-time member of Branch 54 and he attends all quarterly meetings and special events. In 2007 he was elected to the Board of Directors and has served continually since. Further, in an effort to preserve the agricultural history in our area of eastern Washington and northern Idaho, Randy and his wife Joan host an annual fall harvest bee on their farm near Winchester, ID. Every fall Randy sets aside a generous acreage of grain on his farm for the harvest bee. He stores and maintains an antique combines—a John Deere model 36B hillside, pull-type combine and an antique RD6 Caterpillar crawler tractor to pull it—plus a “war-years Massey-Harris model 21. And, he uses his vintage Studebaker truck to haul the grain. To view a short You Tube video of Randy’s 2017 harvest bee click on to this link— (https://youtu.be/AG10IxfKLo0). Randy’s favorite thing is to involve and teach as many club members as possible about running the equipment. Younger members especially, experience “punching the header” (manually adjusting the height of the header) and operating the manual leveling lever. More experienced “Cat-Skinners” (crawler Caterpillar tractor operators) take turns pulling the combine and remembering how to turn square corners. Branch 54 is honoring Randy for his steadfast enthusiasm and support of club activities. He is a “bigger than life type individual” who greets and visits with all members at meetings and special events. Everyone enjoys his company and joking manner.

Brief summary of contributions—Randy is a stalwart member who has contributed significantly over the years to Branch 54. He has served as a Board of Director of 14 years continually. Further, he has contributed much to the collection, preservation and exhibition of antique tractors and equipment. Branch 54 will be honored to have Randy Tiede selected to the EDGETA HOF. Please give his nomination utmost consideration.

Picture of Randy Tiede’s RD6 Cat and 36B JD combine