BOWERSTON, Ohio — More than 350 people packed into the calving barn that Luke Logan proudly built with his brother at the family farm in Carroll County.
It was a warm and sunny morning, but it was cool and comfortable inside the new barn on July 27 as family, friends and neighbors gathered to share memories and tell their favorite stories about Luke. Together, they wiped tears and prayed together as they memorialized the sixth-generation farmer who had such strong faith, such influence and such devoted energy, according to those who knew him.
Luke Logan, 44, died in a farm accident on July 23. He was run over by a wagon loaded with oats. His brother Paul found him and administered CPR, but it was too late. The coroner pronounced Luke dead at the scene.
It was thought by the deputy sheriff that responded to the scene that the wagon had begun rolling downhill and Luke most likely tried to turn its tongue, lost his footing and went under the wagon.
For the memorial service, fellow farmers formed a long line of about 50 tractors as a solemn symbol of solidarity with this popular young man, struck down in the prime of his life.
Reaction
Family friend Diane Miller watched the scene with a mixture of deep respect for the profession of farming and a realization that Luke was never coming back.
She said she had been handling his death relatively well, but the long parade of tractors arriving made her break down. “Then I just lost it. Then it really hit me,” she said, shedding pent-up tears. “It made everything real.”
Neighbors Bob and Pat Hobson have been married for 55 years. They’ve seen a lot of life together, but it didn’t make it any easier when they heard the news of Luke’s death.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Bob. “I just couldn’t imagine how this could be true,” he said, shaking his head. His wife nodded in agreement, stating that when she heard about it, she “felt sick to my stomach.” Bob said he understands this kind of thing, as three of his brothers have lost children over the years.
“It’s not supposed to be like this. It’s not supposed to happen that way. Children are not supposed to precede their parents in death,” he said. But then his eyes soften, and with the kind of understanding that occurs with the wisdom of age, he adds, “But the Lord knows just what He is doing.”
Bob said Luke was a Sunday School teacher at the Perrysville Church, where he had attended his entire life, and because the young man had faith, it gave him quite a bit of hope. “This family,” he added, “they are very good people.”
Remembrance
Luke S. Logan was born on May 17, 1980, the middle child of Susan E. Wohlwend Logan and the late Dallas Henry Logan. (The ‘S’ was given to him as a stand-alone initial on the day of his birth — his mother said he had no middle name.) A 1998 graduate of Carrollton High School, he always took farming and faith seriously. As a youngster, he participated in 4-H with vigor, showing hogs and black Angus cattle.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Akron, and then went on to further that education to obtain a master’s degree, gaining certification as an intervention specialist. He used the expertise to teach special education at Claymont High School for the past 20 years.
Claymont City School District said in a statement that Luke would be remembered for his “sense of humor and his generous spirit.”
“He connected with students on a personal level, especially those who shared his passions of farming, hunting and baseball. He will be deeply missed by the students and staff,” the district said.
Luke was a card-carrying life member of the National Rifle Association and a member of the Carroll County Farm Bureau. He enjoyed hunting raccoons, rabbits and coyote as well as trapping groundhogs.
Friends and family talked of Luke’s lifetime allegiance not only to his country but to the Cleveland Indians and the Ohio State Buckeyes. He had been an avid baseball pitcher in high school and even coached the team following graduation.
And Luke was apparently relatively brand-loyal, ever extolling the virtues of International Harvester tractors over any other manufacturer’s “junk.”
It was just a little over two years ago that his father, Dallas Henry Logan, passed away after a period of declining health. Since that time, Luke had been extremely solicitous of his mother, contacting her daily and making sure she was doing all right.
His mother, Susan, said that “he will be very missed.” In her grief, she still focused on the incredible outpouring of support and the fact that she feels so much stronger because people have expressed their condolences and their love to the family.
His brother Paul said that he had thought about what it could be like to someday hold a community meal but he had “never dreamed that it would be as a result of my brother’s death.” He said that while he has trouble understanding the events of the past few days, he still believes that “in the days and weeks to come, we will see the things that God was working on in the background.”
One former high school student who had been taught by Luke shared her admiration for her teacher. “He never, ever gave up on any student,” she said. “When I was really having some tough times, he was there to keep me going. He always had a smile on his face.”
In addition to his mother and brother, Luke is also survived by Paul’s wife, Laura; his own sister Rachel Hays and her husband Bryan and several nieces and nephews. It was expressed at the memorial that Luke will also be greatly missed by his three hunting dogs, (beagles Barney, Rebel and Mickey), which he cared for a great deal.
Memorial contributions may be made to Perry Township School Memorial Scholarship at The Carroll County Foundation, P.O. Box 375, Carrollton, Ohio 44615.
