The pride and joy of the man’s job now sits idle most days, his namesake lovingly wiping the dirt from her fenders as a myriad of emotions floated across his brow. Douglas Mess’s John Deere 4020 is built for heavy work, but could also be used for lighter duties, and as his son put it, “it’s the heart of any farm.”
Family and friends gathered at the Spring Farm Tuesday evening for the second annual Douglas Mess Memorial Tractor ride. April 19 marked the one year anniversary of the death of the 52-year-old farmer. As a way to remember the father, brother and friend, those who knew him best revved up their tractors and made the approximately six-mile trek – from the Spring Farm on Chaddock Road to Baskin Livestock on Creek Road – in celebration of a man’s life.
“Most days are fine,” said the eldest of three boys, Doug Mess. “I still have my off days.”
Since last April, the Mess’s farm in Attica had been off limits. Within the last few months, the boys have been able to go back.
“We aren’t operating the farm right now,” Doug said. “The cows have been gone for almost a year and now we're just getting things cleaned up.”
“It’s still a shock,” said longtime family friend Dale Spring. “Our families grew up together. Our kids were in 4-H together. He was an awesome guy. He would help you no matter what. If he couldn't talk ya through it, he'd come down and help.”
Sixteen tractors in all and double the number of friends and family met to honor the man.
“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him,” Spring said. “Every morning, after he was done milking his cows he would drive by my farm...”
As a way to remember their employee, Bill Baskin and Susan Blackburn, Baskin’s wife, had a sign made dedicating their new truck shop to Douglas.
The gathering. The ride. It was a time to remember the man and not the incident surrounding his death.
See related: Murder of Douglas Mess a big loss for Baskin Livestock ; Attica woman charged with murder in missing man's death
