Brief summary of contributions to EDGETA
Jeff served as Vice-President of Branch 16 from 1997-2003 and is currently on the Board of Directors of Branch 16. He has been the Advertising and Communications chairman for the last 10 years. He is on the grounds committee and is a Team Chairman for mowing and up keep of the show grounds. He was also on the safety committee for several years. He feels getting the children involved with this old equipment at an early age is critical to the future of all steam and gas engine and tractor shows. He also works with a local radio station and Television station in filming a half hour documentary that is aired several times a year promoting our show. Jeff is a promoter of EDGETA and the hobby collecting and exhibiting our equipment. He helped setup a one day show with the Springfield-Greene County Library at our show grounds for the young children. The Library reads stories to the children and Jeff fires his steam engine and takes children rides on his Case engine. This has been a good show to get the children interested in the old equipment. At our fall show He will always smile when a young kid brings his dad and show him what he rode on that steam engine. The Library has reported this is probably the most popular program they do with the children.
Brief summary why Jeff should be chosen and why is he to be honored:
Jeff has been a member of Branch 16 since 1987. He is a people person. He has interviewed several of the members to be featured in the club newsletter. He is a leader and always helping new members and other members with project problems. He is also a member of the Ozarks Steam Engine Association where he is a director and the Show Chairman for our Annual Fall Steam-A-Rama.
Brief summary of significant contribution to the collection, preservation and exhibition of antique equipment:
Jeff is a collector and restores his equipment. He owns 18 tractors, 2 full size steam traction engines in show condition, a Case and a Avery 1913, one model Advanced Rumely scale model traction engine in show condition, He claims to be a John Deere collector but besides his JD-H, A, R, D and others he has a IHC W-9, Case LA, Cletrac 20 crawler, 1918 Oil Pull, 1923 Ford Model-T and is V-P of the local Model T club. He always gets the Model T club to tour our Branch 16 show every year.. He also collects Railroad inspection track cars and is a member of the Railroad Museum in Springfield, MO. He has an International 1948 KB-1 pickup restored with help from his father Fred Ruth several years ago.
Jeff is also a toy collector. This started many years ago when he played with his toys at home and has grown to where his wife told him he could have the big room upstairs as his “Toy Room” and his collection of books and equipment literature.
On Labor Day weekend you will find Jeff at the Old Threshers Reunion in Mt Pleasant, Iowa operating his steam engines and the steam train. His parents took him there as a baby and he hasn’t missed a show since. Then 10 days after Labor he is at the Ozarks Steam Engine show where is announcing the daily steam parades.
Jeff worked for the Air Lines for 22 years. TWA, Delta & Northwest at the Springfield, MO Airport. And the last 5 years works for the City of Springfield as a grounds keeper at the Airport.