10-4 Magazine November 2024

32 10-4 Magazine / November 2024 mentioned that he is a combination of a very hard-working man and a bit of a prankster. Life is full of laughter around him, plus he is very complimentary, and a great caregiver. One of Tony’s greatest achievements is the title two little boys call him – Grandpa – two of the best things that ever happened to him. A shoutout and special thanks from Tony to Michelle who has been his rock and stuck with him through all that he has gone through. Michelle has never wavered with her support, including his truck addiction, but most importantly, she loves him, which is evident when you see them together. Thank you to his brother Kent who has done a lot on Tony’s truck, plus they are very close, talk every day, and they would drop everything for each other. To Tim Hayes who Tony appreciates for all his help through the years, including taking care of the accounting and books to this day. Thanks to J&A Services in Spearville who take care of all of Tony’s mechanical work, and Oscar and the crew at The Truck Wash in Dodge City who do an amazing job washing his truck. I’d personally like to thank Trevin and his girlfriend Jessica for opening their home to me while I was in town, for Trevin’s help finding and scheduling trucks to photograph, but more than that, for the continued great friendship. Thank you to Tony and Michelle for allowing me the opportunity to hear and tell your story, for getting the truck dialed in, and for being all-around wonderful people. That Kansas heat may be hot, but so are many of the trucks that call Kansas home. As always, to all the drivers out there doing the deal, truck safe. n anniversary, Tony received the call that I would be coming out to photograph his truck for an article. Once off the phone, he told Michelle and said he couldn’t wait to get back home to tell Dennis. Unfortunately, the very next day, before they returned home from vacation, Tony received the call that Dennis had passed away. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when Tony told this story. Photographing this truck was very easy considering all the locations were within three miles of where Tony and Michelle live (definitely a “small town USA” feel, where everyone seemed to know each other, and at every turn there was a story about back in the day). We photographed the truck as a bobtail at the church where Tony and Michelle were married, then in front of a nearby barn, and then got some beautiful combo shots by some milo fields, which are owned by a farmer Tony hauls for during harvest, and out amongst some windmills. Today, having always remained in Spearville, Tony and Michelle have two children, their son Cory (38) and their daughter Jessica (30), along with two grandsons, Silas (6) and Raylan (2.5), as well as a grandbaby on the way due to arrive in March 2025. Tony and Michelle have a welcoming home with an inviting back porch, and a yard that has a special bench set in place. That previously mentioned tree that Tony and Michelle met under was going to be torn down some years back to build a new public swimming pool. A friend of theirs was the one who took the tree down and actually gifted Tony and Michelle with a bench he made from that tree. I had a moment to talk to Michelle to get her description of Tony and she