Friday afternoon there will be a procession of farm tractors down Main Street heading to a graveside service.
A procession of farm tractors will head through town Friday, July 29th about 1:30pm from United Church of Ferndale on Washington Street to Woodlawn Cemetery on Northwest Drive. The procession will lead friends and family from the church to the cemetery to pay final respects to the late Don McKay. McKay’s ashes will be carried on one of the family tractors so, as family put it, McKay “will take his final ride on his John Deere B.”
McKay was accidently killed on July 4th while preparing one of his tractors to be driven in a parade in Blaine.
The procession route will follow 3rd Avenue to Main Street and Main Street to Barrett Road. It will then continue by way of Barrett and Paradise Roads (where the family once had a farm) to the cemetery at Paradise Road and Northwest Drive.
Click for more information
Click for more informationFrom the family,
We invite any/all who have tractors – old or new (or even a really cool classic car!) to join in on the processional. We are trying to get a vehicle count so if you would like to join, please let us know.
Interested tractor owners should contact the family via email at slmckay79@hotmail.com or call 360-961-9231 during the day after 10am to allow the number of participants to be planned for and to get more details.
NOTE: Only tractors able to maintain at least 10mph can be included. A police escort has been arranged to enable the procession to move smoothly through town.
Click for more information
Click for more informationThe public is also invited to pay their respects along the procession route.
This a fitting send off given McKay’s love for tractors . According to his obituary,
Don greatly enjoyed spending time with fellow members of the Puget Sound Antique Tractor & Machinery Club and the Cascade Two-Cylinder Club and driving his four antique John Deere tractors (two of which were his father’s) in all the local parades. Twice he traveled to the Midwest to attend the “Gathering of the Green” John Deere convention with friends from the tractor clubs. Grandad also found great joy in taking his grandkids on tractor rides and was proud that they all knew how to drive at a very young age–just like his kids.
On Saturday, McKay’s tractors will be in the Old Settler’s Parade driven by family members and friends. One will tow a float on which McKay’s grandkids and other family will ride.