The International Loadstar 1600 is a special vehicle to me. My neighbor Ira Neary was a roofer (also a farmer back in the day so I heard) ANYWAY he had two! It was funny seeing the things on a suburban road lined with a bunch of rambler houses. I was under ten back then something like that must've be 2012 or something or even earlier. Im 21 now. I was always interested in what ira was up to. He was always in his garage doing something or inside having a drink of water before he went back out again. He had two old gmc sierras as well. Id see him going down the road and Id wave my hand out in the air and yell "hay Ira stop!" Id ask him where he was going and he would say Menards, Home depot, or THE DUMP! lol. If it was to menards Id hop in with him and he'd pick up some lumber. Id pick out a snack and a soda and he'd buy them for me. Ira was like the grandpa I never had. If it wasn't for him I don't think Id ever be interested in working with my hands. Because of him I love to do woodworking and love tinkering. I remember a few times riding in the loadstar to go to the garbage dump, he'd drop off the old shingles there with the loadstar. To see the back go up and dump all that detritus and old shingles out was something to behold being as little as I was. The sound of it all falling out was something! I'll never forget his quiet kindness and willingness to put up with me. Sadly Ira passed on Dec. 19, 2013 while battling cancer, he was a heavy smoker. I remember seeing the hearse in the driveway on that dark winter night. My emotions felt much like the way the night seemed, cold, dark, and eerie. I heard from my mother who spoke with his wife every now and then that he didn't much like children. He thought they were annoying things that didn't do much. But I showed him that even kids are interested in helping out and learning about the things he did for a living. I miss him dearly and the fun trips we had. For a while I thought it weird that he was okay with taking me everywhere but my dad reminded me that he would make me ask my parents before I would hop in with him. I miss the man and his funny way of talking, dearly. His legacy always lives on within me especially now as I enter the trades and follow my career goals of becoming a machinist. I visit his wife often.
I should also mention the loadstar is the reason I have such an affinity for the International Harvester company. I shall never forget seeing that legendary logo for the first time on the hood of his loadstar as the front of the truck towered over my short self.
Thank you for making this.