Truck Grille Headstone Memorializes Trucker

Truck Grille Headstone Memorializes Trucker FARM HOME Miscellaneous After Ron Pethick’s cousin Greg died last May Ron knew it would take some time before a headstone could be delivered He wanted to do something in the interim He had been very close to his cousin who was only 55 when he died of a heart attack Pethick found a good photo of his cousin taken at a Louisville truck show and took it to a business that printed the photo and text on a piece of 20 by 20-in aluminum But he was stuck about what to mount it on until one night when he woke up with the perfect idea “We’re from a trucking family Greg started trucking when he was 18 ” Pethick says “I decided to use an old Peterbilt grille shell ” He checked with the cemetery manager and found out he could use it as long as the marker wasn’t oversized or gaudy With the help of friends it took about a day and a half to remove the screen cut down the height and width of the grill polish it up and bolt it back together to create a backdrop appropriate for the photo A professional welder attached the photo and joined the middle seam which is hidden by a Peterbilt logo and a swan hood ornament The back is green-treated wood painted silver “I’m happy we did this ” Pethick says noting that the permanent headstone won’t be placed until sometime this year The Peterbilt monument held up well through the summer fall and winter When it’s replaced Pethick plans to give the Peterbilt monument to his uncle Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ron Pethick 1090 E Baldwin Rd Grand Blanc Mich 48439 ph 810 348-4160; ronaldpethick@yahoo com

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