Earl Walter Rehor

Earl was born on May 23rd, 1929 to Edward and Mabel Rehor.  He was the seventh born of six brothers and two sisters in his family.  They resided north of Vona, Colorado in a farming and ranching community. He spent his childhood years tending to the turkeys and hogs and gathering eggs.  All the boys took turns with the fieldwork and riding horses.  The root cellar was stocked with many fruit and vegetables thanks to the many hands to help lighten the work. There was a never ending number of pranks and high jinx with so many siblings.

As a young man and like many of the men of his generation, he enlisted in the Army and served for three years during the Korean War. His responsibilities included constructing bridges and repairing equipment in Korea.  After his years of service, he continued to show his patriotism by supporting the causes of varied armed services. Earl was always the first to “remove cover” to honor the American Flag during various events.  

 On August 14th, 1954 Earl married Doris Leora Fast.  They began their farming career in the Joes, Colorado area from 1954-1959.  Earl hauled equipment, hay, and milk while Leora tended to the home.  Together they farmed dryland wheat. They had two children: Donna Lea and Norma Jean.   In 1959, they moved to Yuma and continued to farm.  To support their farming interests, Earl and Leora began a custom harvest crew.  Their wheat harvest business began in the panhandle of Texas and extended to northern Montana.  Earl ran one of the combines while Leora drove truck. After drilling their own wheat in the fall in Colorado, they returned to Texas to complete the maize harvest.  As their farm expanded near Yuma, their custom harvesting became local. 

 His risk taker mentality combined with his innovative spirit allowed him to be a pioneer in the dryland to irrigation transition. Earl was one of the first to revolutionize farming in Yuma County by implementing center pivot irrigation-forever changing farming as we know it today.  With the advent of irrigation, he planted beets, corn, wheat and beans.  As he became more successful he invested in state of the art John Deere equipment and his affinity for the “green and yellow” only grew.  His expert farming led to numerous honors including the DeKalb 200 Bushel Club and the 2003 Farm Family of the Year.

 He remained at the forefront of the farming industry by attending farm shows, reading the latest literature and befriending every farmer that crossed his path.  He prided himself on maintaining his equipment in a pristine condition to ensure it was always “field ready”. At the end of the farming season, all equipment was washed, waxed and touched up so it appeared brand new.

Earl did not have an advanced education, but learned money management through life lessons.  Around town Earl was known for his shrewd bargaining, a debt free mentality and upholding a fair and respectful deal. He frequently stated “If you watch your pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves.”

Earl and Leora believed that an education is the foundation for life and desired a college education for their daughters. As a result of that wish, their farm also included cattle for a short period of time.  Every dollar made from the cattle went to the college fund for Donna and Norma.  Consequently, each of them received a degree in Elementary Education-further signifying the importance of lifelong learning. 

Farming truly became a family affair when both of their daughters moved back to Yuma County with their husbands.  Earl was an astute business man who recognized this as an opportunity to expand the farming acreage.  Over the next seven years, Earl and Leora welcomed five grandchildren into the world and enjoyed celebrating their small and large moments in life.  His keen business sense coupled with his passion for education allowed Earl and Leora to generously provide an education fund for each of their grandchildren. 

In 1974 Earl and Leora purchased the first of many travel trailers and motor homes and started touring the country.  They went from the shores of Nova Scotia to the California coast up to the Canadian line and down to the Gulf of Mexico.  Most winters were spent in southern Texas catching the biggest fish of the day, going to flea markets, and calling home to family.  Along the way they made numerous lifelong friends.  Upon their spring return, Earl looked forward to sharing his abundant catch at the neighborhood block parties and family events. 

Anyone who knew Earl will attest to the fact that he was a hard worker.  Due to this preference and the frequent exposure to farm chemicals, he developed numerous health issues.  In 1980, he experienced a massive heart attack, the first of many medical complications he would endure over his lifetime. His numerous heart surgeries included five bypasses, installation of a defibrillator and several types of pacemakers.  In addition, he battled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), detached retinas, congestive heart failure (CHF) and finally Alzheimer’s disease.  Alzheimer’s impacted his memory, mood, hobbies, interactions with others and his dignity. However, his true personality came through during fleeting moments where he would “farm” the outdoor garden or meticulously design a jewelry-box as a gift. He had a smile for everyone he met whether he recognized them or not.

Earl was preceded in death by his wife, Leora, his parents, Edward and Mabel, and his siblings—Rudy, Everett, Fern, Gene, Ray, Fred, Betty, Archie and their spouses. Also preceding him in death was his brother in law Walter Fast. He leaves to mourn his daughters Donna Gibson and husband Darrel of Joes and Norma Ortner of Yuma.  He is survived by five grandchildren, Melissa Ortner of Yuma, Lori Ortner of Yuma, Kathryn (Gibson) O’Melia and her husband Rob, of California, Tom Gibson and wife Mandy of Oregon, and Amanda (Ortner) Oakley and husband Robert of Kentucky. Also surviving him are three great grandchildren, Taylor and Tate Goble, and Robert “Shelton” Oakley III, along with sister-in-law Lucille Fast, numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and many friends which will all miss him greatly.

The funeral service was held Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Yuma, CO with Pastor Jaime Nieves officiating.  Interment followed at the Yuma Cemetery.  Baucke Funeral Home directed the services.