10-4 Magazine February 2024

56 10-4 Magazine / February 2024 I said previously about Wilbur having good days and bad days, this day was definitely a good one. I witnessed three generations in the trucking industry, with their trucks, all in one place. Just a few weeks later, on July 31, 2023, Wilbur was admitted into hospice, and it is with a heavy heart that he passed away one day shy of a month after I went to do the photography. The one thing I will carry with me is how vividly I can see his smile in my mind, and with that joy on his face, you couldn’t help but smile. Today, Wilbur’s 359 isn’t going anywhere and will continue to probably come out for farm use during fall harvest. Chris owns a 2009 stainless steel Timpte, Tom owns a 2024 50-foot tri-axle Timpte trailer, both haul grain and feed, and both are dispatched by Leroy Prins Trucking. Chris and Ashley have a three-year-old daughter named Miranda who is adored by Tom and Tammy. Wilbur would’ve been 86 last month, and he and Carol would’ve been celebrating their 66th wedding anniversary this month. Tom recalled one of the phrases his father used a lot: “If you’re broke, put your keys on the wall.” Meaning that you should stay at home and not go out and spend any unnecessary money. Another one he and Chris both mentioned was it is always cheaper to “do it right the first time” – a sentiment many in trucking adhere to. Tom said that at his father’s funeral, what he heard most commonly was that his dad always had a smile and a good one-line joke. Thank you from Chris and Tom to Levi Ebeling of Levi Ebeling Polishing and Ceramics, and Jacob Runge of Jake’s Polishing and Detailing, for coming together in getting the trucks shined up after Chris was done detailing them. I am truly honored that I was given this opportunity to meet some amazing people, and also the ability to document the moments and memories that were made that day within the Prins family. Thank you to everyone who was present for your time, kindness, and the privilege to tell some of your story. Remember, time waits for no one, so hold your loved ones a little longer and overuse “I love you.” As always, to all the drivers out there doing the deal, truck safe. n