Oliver/White employees gather at reunion breakfast

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

Former employees of the Oliver/White tractor plant congregated at Dave’s Restaurant for the second annual reunion breakfast on Tuesday, April 2.

“It’s just an informal get-together with people you used to work with,” said Dick Neal, who organized the event. “I thought we’d try it again while we’re still alive.”

Neal, who started at the plant when he was 18 and spent 23 years working in the repair department, reached out to employee alumni to coordinate the breakfast so they could share stories about the past, catch up on the present, and compare their arthritis with each other.

“It’s like going to a class reunion,” said Howard Fox, who worked as a core maker in the factory’s foundry. “Everybody got old.”

Fox now lives in St. Ansgar, but made the trip to Charles City to see his former co-workers.

“I thought it was very nice,” said Susan Imler, who accompanied Fox to the breakfast. “It’s very interesting talking with people who worked here.”

The gathering saw fewer attendees than the last year’s inaugural event, but with an estimated 60 or 70 people showing up it was still a good opportunity for the former co-workers to reunite.

“It was pretty good,” said Steven Barr, who missed last year’s event. “It’s nice to see some of the people that are still with us.”