More than 100 Tractors Ride in Memory of Mechanic

KEOTA – The 4th Annual Travis Greiner Memorial Ride began in Keota on June 29. More than 100 tractors left Keota, traveling a 54 mile route visiting Talleyrand, Washington County Fair Grounds and Brenneman Pork before returning to Keota. The annual ride is held in memory of Travis Greiner, a well respected local mechanic and farmer who passed away in 2020.

“Everybody gets together. Talk tractors, drive tractors, spend a little time together. We raise a little money and donate to different causes,” said Mark Sheetz, one of the event’s organizers. “It’s not about the money, I mean, we just do it for the fun of it. But if anybody donates, we find a home for it...Travis was a natural born mechanic. Raised livestock, farmer. Didn’t know how to say no; if someone was in trouble, he’d go help them. He was always busy, always had something to do. He liked to work. Had a lot of friends, a good family, and everyone misses him.”

This year, the memorial ride raised money for the Keokuk County Expo, Keokuk County Fair, Washington County Fair and local 4-H groups.

“He was just a great kid...He just would help you with anything,” said volunteer Bill Miller. “ If you needed help, he would help you. Just a fun loving guy, a hard working guy...Some of the shirts say BUSY, that was his whole thing. And you can see on (the shirts), he liked ice cream, tractors, and wrenching on them.”