Drive-Through Visitation Held for Morehouse
Published: Friday, January 22, 2021
Hundreds of mourners turned out—some in unconventional ways—to pay their respects last week to a New Paris farmer who left a big mark on the community.
A drive-through visitation was held last Wednesday for Dean Morehouse, who passed away Jan. 9 at age 85. He was a lifelong farmer and longtime Jackson Twp. firefighter, Lion's Club member, fair board member and a fan of John Deere tractors.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions that limit the size of group gatherings, the Morehouse family sheltered underneath a tent and greeted mourners as they passed by on a sunny, mid-January afternoon.
A total of 138 cars and trucks plus two farm tractors visited the family over the span of three hours, according to Mike Morehouse. He added that many vehicles had several passengers and that the total number of people paying their final respects to his father was close to 500.
As visitors drove through the farm, they passed a small collection of John Deere tractors. One was a 1949 G that Morehouse used at many "plow days" organized by the Northern Indiana Johnny Poppers. Also on display at the farm was the yellow and black golf cart that Morehouse was famously known for riding to and fro at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair.
One of those who drove a tractor to the visitation was Rob Weybright of New Paris. He is a neighbor and family friend, and, as a CaseIH tractor owner, he and the Morehouse family have shared many jokes about which tractor brand is better. Over the years, Weybright and the Morehouses have farmed together and even attend the same church.
Weybright said, at first, he was hesitant to bring a tractor but ultimately decided that it was the best way to celebrate Morehouse's life and legacy.
Dave Snider, who was accompanied by his wife Marla, drove a John Deere tractor to the visitation. He chose that method of transportation because he knew the family well and shared their devotion to green-colored equipment.
"I thought it was the right thing to do," he said, adding that the tractor was sitting in the shed and ready to go.
Snider, a dairy farmer, said he and Mike attended the same school while growing up in New Paris. The two families often helped each other, and the elder Morehouse became a mentor to Snider after his own father passed away in 1986.
At the time of his father's death, Snider, who was 25, had worked primarily with livestock and hadn't ever planted corn. Snider said Dean taught him how to put seed in the ground and became a father figure to him.
In later years, Snider said he would often turn to the Morehouse family whenever he needed help.
"All you had to do was call the Morehouses," he said.
Driving a John Deere tractor to the visitation, Snider said, was the most appropriate way he could think of to pay his final respects. He added that if there was any way that Morehouse could look down from above, he would be pleased at the sight of a John Deere tractor coming to his visitation.
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