DAVE RETCHER RETIREMENT

Other

DAVE RETCHER

RETIREMENT

Used

500A

Farmer Retirement Spotlight: Don & Ruth Johnson Some people measure a lifetime by the acres they farm or the years they work. Don Johnson measures it a little differently. By the neighbors who were always there when someone needed help. By the laughter shared after a long day's work. By serving others. And by the people who walked beside him through it all. After graduating from Defiance High School in 1964, Don answered another call to serve, spending six years in the National Guard. During that time, his unit was activated to The Ohio State University in Columbus during the unrest following the Kent State shootings - one chapter in a lifetime marked by service to others. Professionally, Don spent 43 years as a tool and die maker. The craftsmanship and problem-solving he developed in the shop found their way back to the farm every evening, becoming countless repairs, improvements, and ideas that kept the operation running for decades. That same willingness to serve extended far beyond the farm. In 1975, Don was one of the volunteers who helped establish the Auglaize Township Fire Department. He didn't simply serve there for more than 50 years (including 13 years as Fire Chief), he helped build it from the ground up. He still smiles remembering the volunteers who came together to raise the first fire station, creating something that would protect their neighbors for generations. Through it all, Don never walked alone. He and Ruth first met while working at Zellers, and together they built a life centered on hard work, family, and living within their means. Ruth spent 25 years in the Holy Cross school cafeteria while also lending countless hours on the farm. Don even modified their grain wagons with viewing windows to make unloading easier for her - a thoughtful detail that quietly says everything about the way they worked together. Looking back, what Don remembers most isn't the machinery or the harvests. He remembers the people. He speaks with deep appreciation for the neighbors and friends who were always willing to lend a hand, and he still thinks often about those who are no longer here. To him, that's what made this community special, and it's a spirit he hopes never disappears. When asked what advice he'd give the next generation, he didn't hesitate. "Be a hard worker... and laugh a lot." Sometimes the best advice really is that simple. As Don and Ruth begin this next chapter, we're honored to help celebrate not only the equipment they've cared for, but the life they've built together and the example they've set for their family, their neighbors, and their community. Thank you, Don and Ruth, for a lifetime of hard work, service, kindness, and quiet leadership. We wish you many wonderful years enjoying time with your family. At Limber Auctioneers, we don't just want your auction to be successful. We want your last day farming to be remembered.