friday takeout

Pat Osterhaus

Diesel Mechanics Instructor | Peosta Campus

When you retire, and assuming you have enough money to do so, what is one cause you would give to because you are passionate about its mission and purpose?

I would continue to raise money for the American Cancer Society. I have been a committee member of Midwest Pride in Your Ride for over 10 years. Each year we hold a truck and tractor show at Tri-state raceway in Earlville as a fundraiser for The American Cancer Society Relay for Life. To date we have raised over $750,000. I am sure I will continue to support this great cause as long as I am able.

What is the age in your life that stands out as the most memorable, and why?

Twenty-eight. That was the year I became a father for the first time. Six years later I became a dad for the second time and I could not be prouder of both of my daughters. My oldest is married with two children and my youngest has been in a relationship with her high school boyfriend for many years. They are both graduates of the College.

If you could start all over again, what would be your career choice?

A farmer or a truck driver. My dad sold the last of our family farm in 1981. That was the year I graduated from high school and there was no way I would be able to take over the farm. That was also a time of record high farm prices, so getting financing would have been impossible. I also have two older brothers; one wanted to buy it from dad, but he didn’t want to sell it to him because he had a feeling the farm market was not going to be very good in the near future. He was right, as the farm market crashed in the mid-80s. Maybe if I could have farmed and drove a truck during the slow times I could have made it. I have never been able to get farming out of my blood, as I have been an avid collector of farm toys and farm memorabilia for over 40 years. I bought my first collector toy when I was 16 and now have a collection of over 1,000 pieces.

In one sentence, how would you explain the internet?

The internet is a great source of information, but also a reason for many hours of wasted time.

If you had one million dollars to build anything you wanted, what would you build and why?

The original farm that I grew up on with all of the same farm equipment we used. I realized many years after we left the farm how simple and good life on the farm was. The work was hard, but watching my dad work the way he did to make a good life for us gave me the work ethic I still have today.