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Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:08 pm
by Scott C.
Folks, it's with a heavy heart I have to post this information.
William "Geezer" DeTurck is not well.
His wife Donna called and informed us that while he was having some medical issues addressed, a condition with his eye started and they found an inoperable tumor behind it.
He is in his house on hospice and under comfort sedation and his passing is imminent. I do not have a specific as to a timeline but it is not long and his family is with him.
Donna asked for some pictures for a memorial so I am asking, if you have any good Geezer pics, post them here and I will get them to her.
Bill is a good friend and I am lucky I have had a chance to know him and enjoy our hobby together.
Geezer was the unofficial "Ambassador" for the IH Registry making shows all over the place and promoting our website and the community we built around it.
A lot of us here and on the other sites owe him a debt of gratitude in one way or another for the information he gathered and shared, the good will he spread around and his sense of fun and friendship touched many. Bill went out of his way to get obscure information to folks who needed it and has been an temendous help in the maintenance of this website.
Bill is one of the people that made this and the Registry group a family. He will be sorely missed by many.
- geezer.jpg (53.17 KiB) Viewed 59897 times
- The IH Registry Abassador and resident Geezer.jpg (50.16 KiB) Viewed 59897 times
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:11 pm
by ReicheP
Scott thank you for posting this.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:53 pm
by vince_o
Geezer is the one of the first people I met on the old site. I wish I still had pics of him and I togeather. Just talked with him about 2 mts ago.
Scott is he strong enough to take phone calls?
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:58 pm
by dag1450
Wow. So sorry to hear! Geezer..... Please know that i have truly enjoyed getting to know u just a little bit though your post on the cub website! Know that i will b praying for u and your family. Make peace with the Lord my friend.... It is never to late to accept him as your savior! John 3:16
Dave
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 10:35 pm
by J Hayes
I will Never forget him .. He is a special man that has taught a lot of us that patience is a virtue when dealing with problems with these cubs , He lived for plow days . so he could share his experience with anyone with most any question ..
He has a heart of gold . He will definitely be Missed. The last time I saw him was when he lost the "cub den" to a fire .. only saw the new one on pictures on this forum
Prayers for Gods mercy, and comfort for all that was close to, or knew him... He will be missed for sure .
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 10:49 pm
by A.W.Gonya
The first time I went to PA plow Day (It's been awhile) Bill insisted I drive over and stay in the spare room at his home. I'd never met him before and he and Donna only knew me from the internet.
Over the next several years Geezer was a guest with us several different times while travelling to shows and plow days. He even stayed on my folks couch once for a week before travelling west to another event.
He is as good as family to me, I have missed him greatly at our last few plow days here in Ohio, I knew his eyesight was getting bad but I always assumed Bill would make it back out one day. It was always an event just seeing what crazy contraption he would be driving.
He's a good man, a good friend, and was always one heck of a resource of information.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:17 pm
by Tom Scott
dag1450 wrote:Wow. So sorry to hear! Geezer..... Please know that i have truly enjoyed getting to know u just a little bit though your post on the cub website! Know that i will b praying for u and your family. Make peace with the Lord my friend.... It is never to late to accept him as your savior! John 3:16
Dave
I can't say it any better than this. Prayers for William and his family.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:21 am
by mmzullo
Nothing more to say that wasn't already said. We had good times with Geezer at plow days. From Luthersburg, Mifflinville,Ft Allen, Danville, and Riverside. I have pixs I will post when I find more.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:30 am
by mmzullo
More!!!!!!!
Scott or who ever I have higher quality resolution of these pictures if you want or need them.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 11:43 am
by Jlaws
Wow , I'm sorry to hear about William not doing well. He's a good man .
I believe the first time I met William was at possum lodge way back in the IH Registry days . What impressed me the most about him other than his vast knowledge of cubs , was that he was a tough old bird that loved sleeping in his tent no matter how cold it got .
William rode and plowed with a couple of my cubs during his visits to Ohio plow day . He never asked , he didn't have to , after all it was Geezer .
I considered it a compliment that he drove my cubs , and always had a smile on his face when I caught him ...
I had more pictures of William at possum lodge and plowdays , but they were lost when my old computer died , I believe Rick Harris has some on his web site and I'll give him a call to see if he'll post them .
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:07 pm
by Farmallgray
- RPRU 09 456.JPG (2.13 MiB) Viewed 59918 times
This was the only photo I could find of Geezer. I may have more somewhere.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:50 pm
by stevet
I'm very saddened to hear this news. As with everyone else, we all have our stories about Geezer. I think what will stick in my mind the most is the time he set aside for my son at every plow day we attended with him. Cory has always been a history and military buff and he used to sit and listen to Geezers stories.....Cory loved hearing them and Geezer loved telling them. Not a plow day went by that at some point you didn't see those two chatting. I too will look for some pictures.
Keeping his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers....
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 4:33 pm
by chzuck
I remember meeting Geezer at Rough & Tumble years ago when one could camp with your stuff. He introduced me his famous tractor and mower. He was undoubtedly one of the great guys of the famous IHRegistry! My prayers with you Geezer. Truly he is an ambassador.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 5:06 pm
by JMotuzick
Wow thoughts and prayers go out to bills family.... It was 2002 I meet geezer for the first time. This was before the registry even started! He drove out to a "mow day" I tried to start. He walked into the mower shop I was working at and after introductions he said he had a flat on his trailer he needed fixed before we could leave. His spare was very soft and his tire had blown out 100 miles back. I found a old car tire ment to go on dads fire wood cart well it was a bit bigger then his but it got him going. We mowed for the weekend and went to a show together that Sunday. He trucked home and all the way out to Illinois on that old car tire. The next year at red power it was still there along with bill/Ted having a great time. Gezzer will be missed but never forgeten!
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 6:36 pm
by TWheaton
Truly a good friend and a good man. He is always ready to help anyone anytime and has been a big help to me many times. Memories that come to mind are camping out with him at RPRU and his entertaining antics at 'Possum Lodge. It's a pleasure to know him.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 8:46 pm
by PTWannaHave
dag1450 wrote:Wow. So sorry to hear! Geezer..... Please know that i have truly enjoyed getting to know u just a little bit though your post on the cub website! Know that i will b praying for u and your family. Make peace with the Lord my friend.... It is never to late to accept him as your savior! John 3:16
Dave
Ditto... Thanks to all who are not away on vacation and are logging in and posting.
I consider it a privilege and blessing in life to have this hobby, and this forum is the icing on the cake! I often say at times like these, albeit cliché, that anything beyond health for my wife and myself, is a bonus and can be lost|rebuilt. (And, you can't take it with you anyway!)
Saddened,
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 8:53 pm
by Klapatta
I met William around six or seven years ago at Colchester, CT. I found him to be a charming, helpfull, and friendly man that spoke through the words of wisdom earned by time.
He was very helpfull in getting my narrow frame hydro lift project together, charging me barely more than the cost of postage for the one item that I had been looking for.
That my friends is integrity. It is an honor to know him.
And he reminded me in our meetig that this a HOBBY for us to enjoy, so in his own way he was placing people before the material things of life.
That I shall not forget.
Godspeed, Geezer.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:00 pm
by BigMike
I have met some fine folks from this site and Geezer is right there at the top of the list. He would always be there to lend a hand, part or a good story.
Godspeed Geezer.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 12:42 am
by J Hayes
sorry to see he Passed .. Maybe there are those of you that want to sign his guest book
http://obituaries.triblive.com/listing/ ... eTurck-Sr/
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 4:05 am
by vince_o
RIP brother
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 6:48 am
by BigMike
Rest in peace Geezer.
Condolences to the DeTurk family.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:13 am
by stevet
Rest in peace Geezer, you will be missed by so many, it was truly a pleasure to have gotten to know you!
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:51 am
by CubbinCal
From your service to our Country, being a Husband, Father, Grandfather and Cub Cadet enthusiast you have inspired many. Rest in Peace Geezer. It was a privilege to know you.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:53 am
by Tom Scott
Prayers and condolences for Bill's family and friends.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 10:32 am
by A.W.Gonya
Saint Peter watches the long road between mortal life and Heaven. In the distance a patch of orange and white appears on the horizon. As the dust settles the angels hurry to open the gates as wide as possible to let a battered U-haul van through. As the van pulls up Peter looks in the window and at old man holding a coffee cup. "You don't need all that Bill" says Peter, "we have a place all ready for you." With a smile the man replies, "No, I'm all right, I'm all set up in the back.".. "But if you have an outlet for my extension cord..."
Welcome home Geezer. Rest in peace.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 11:23 am
by stevet
AW you couldn't have said it any better!!! I can so see that happening. And that coffee cup would sit on the hood of a tractor all night, so it would be just right in the morning when he got up!
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 11:40 am
by Paul B
Mine and Bonnie's condolences to his family. He will be missed by many.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 3:33 pm
by albie
Ariel and I met geezer at Ft Allen years ago, he didn't know us but welcomed us as friends. Over the years on the forum and at plowday said he would always share cub info and hang out like old friends, he was truly an ambassador to our hobby,the IH Registry and Cub Cadet Collectors and will be missed.
RIP Geezer
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 3:47 pm
by BigMike
Geezer cannot be explained he had to be expirienced......and it was a wonderful expirience. One of(if not the first) plow day Linda and I went to we needed to get something to eat on Friday afternoon so AW directed us to a truck stop not far from the farm. Geezer asked if we minded if he went and had dinner with us. We had only know one another an hour or so if that, but we sat and had dinner like old friends.
Re: Our Friend Geezer
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:51 pm
by vince_o
Geezer had to be experienced, funny story
One time at Tonys my neighbor Marc and Geezer were looking for Geezers hearing aid, at 4 something in the morning. Everyone was sleeping till Marc and Geezer tripped over something, turned a radio on, full blast playing gospel music! Kathy and the boys were with us and she woke up and asked what was going on? I poked my head out of the tent to see the two oldest guys laughing their tail ends off.