Wayne County community rallies around farm family after tragic loss

MARSHALLVILLE, Ohio — There’s a baby on the way at L&R Dairy in Wayne County, Ohio.

Wren Grande, a co-owner of the family farm, is expecting any day now. Her sister-in-law, Abby Hostetler, a nurse at Wooster Community Hospital, has learned all of Wren’s duties and will tend to the cows in her absence while she is on maternity leave.

It’s been a long time coming since she met Wren’s brother, the man who would become her husband, Reed Hostetler, and married into the family business shared by their siblings in 2018. They exchanged vows in the barn.

“Reed has been converting me into a dairy farmer,” Hostetler said. After they married, she said she soon found being a supportive wife meant lending a hand. That’s how she’s known life on the farm, where everybody pitches in and everybody is close by, kids and brothers and sisters and in-laws, all working hard together.

“It takes a lot of work and it takes a lot of people; a lot of people who do really, really good jobs,” Hostetler said.

Once Grande returns, the work of managing the place will carry on, from tilling the fields to raising the crops for feeding the cows to milking them. Hostetler said she and Wren will watch the children — including her and Reed’s 4-year-old son Baer, 2-year-old daughter Claire and 1-year-old son Axe — and take care of whatever else they need to.

Life is about to change in so many ways. It already has. Reed was killed on March 5 in a farm accident.

“They did their best”

Nobody knows how that tractor he was driving ended up in the manure pit.

“I keep telling people that Reed was always very safety conscious when it came to the pit,” Hostetler said. “Because we know… We know that it’s so dangerous. So he was safety conscious, and yet still, something happened.”

An employee saw the tractor go down and called for help right away. First on the scene were Reed’s two brothers, Aidan and Lee, but by the time they arrived, the tractor was completely submerged. As first responders raced to the farm, the brothers used another tractor and a pump to find Reed.

“They did their very, very best,” Hostetler said. “They were very, very smart about how they went about trying to rescue Reed, because we all know the stories. We know that somebody else goes in, and then somebody else goes in after the other two, and then you lose three people all in one day.”

By the time help reached them, the brothers had figured out where the sunken tractor cab was and first responders were able to get right to work freeing Reed.

Strangers become family

It had all started as a normal Wednesday. Reed went off to work. Hostetler said they had plans of what they were going to get done that day. She went grocery shopping with the kids. That’s where she got the call.

“I’m running out of the grocery store. You know, I just left my cart, and a woman saw me, like, frantically grabbing my kids. She says, ‘Let me take one.’ And so she grabbed one of my kids for me. I dropped a shoe. She picked up their shoes. She helped me get them clicked into the car,” Hostetler recalled.

As she rushed back to the farm, she had little information about what had happened. When she arrived, she found the property crowded with family and concerned neighbors all ready to help.

“When I got to the farm, there were people to take care of my kids, and so I could go around back to where Reed was, and they had him out of the pit, and they were working really, really hard to save him,” she said.

Despite the frantic efforts of his rescuers, Reed did not survive. He was 31. In his obituary, he is described as possessing an amazing work ethic and being the best friend anyone could ever want, having left his fingerprints all over the farm and land.

“His adventures led him to a bull riding career, hiking the full Appalachian Trail, spending several months on mission work in Thailand, and building a beautiful cabin. He loved boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, camping, snow skiing, hockey, riding his four-wheeler, fishing, and hunting. But mostly, he loved being in God’s creation and learning more about the world,” the obituary reads.

Maybe it has something to do with living a good life, or how a crisis accidentally forges community, inspiring strangers to become friends. But in the aftermath of Reed’s death, it seems that all of Wayne County has stepped up and become family.

For Hostetler, that started to become clear the moment a fellow shopper at the grocery store rushed to her side to help her gather her kids and get them into the car.

“We’ve been talking so much about how strangers have just jumped in to help,” Hostetler said.

From the very beginning, the community has shown up to support the family however they can, taking on chores at the farm and caring for the livestock. Some came just to offer a hug or their sympathies or even to fold laundry, while others volunteered to watch Hostetler’s children so she could handle urgent matters. And then there was food. Massive and massive amounts of food.

“And I’ll tell you, these Wayne County people sure know how to cook,” Hostetler said.

The outpouring of support culminated in a tremendous turnout for Reed’s calling hours and funeral, which were held at home on March 12. Shuttle buses transported attendees from Marshallville Park, where they left their cars, to the barn — the same one Reed and Abby were married in.

“When we decided we wanted to have Reed’s funeral at the farm and in the barn, we said, ‘Hey, we need the barn cleaned out.’ And people showed up, and they did it,” Hostetler said. “We’ve got people who said, ‘Well, we’re going to get your driveway done so that we’re not all rolling around in mud.’” The old dirt driveway was paved with donated gravel to handle all the traffic. “And they did a beautiful job.”

“Lead like Reed”

The line for paying respects stretched to the road. Local agricultural equipment dealers and co-ops helped organize a sort of tractor procession that lined the parking lot of Grace Church, where a reception was held. It was a group of local farmers and custom harvesters who were close to Reed who took the initiative to arrange the display. General Manager Cory Leighty of Ag-Pro Wooster estimates that around 75 to 100 tractors, trucks, semis and implements were part of the tribute.

Volunteers have all led with love, honoring Reed in the same way he is remembered for living.

“Not knowing Reed myself personally, but reading and hearing from other folks about him, (he was) a young, God-loving, God-fearing man, very family oriented, just full of life, never seemed to have a bad day,” said Leighty.

Coordinating such a large-scale tribute was actually a smooth process, according to Leighty. Seth Hauser, who runs a custom harvesting business in Wadsworth, Ohio, played a central role in organizing it, outlining the plan by text, including a map of the tractor lineup, to key dealership contacts and sales representatives.

From there, word quickly spread to local farmers. Even those who hadn’t received a direct message joined in after hearing about the plans through word of mouth.

Hauser sold Reed corn and hay, and his wife, Audrey, went to school with him. He described Reed as a great Christian — hardworking, energetic and strong. In all his years, Hauser said, he has never cried as hard as he did at the funeral.

“He wasn’t scared to do the things that are tough to do in this ag economy. And he was going to work hard for it, you know?” Hauser said. He also reflected on Reed’s deep faith, explaining that Reed made decisions after praying and trusted God in everything related to his farm and family.

In the days following Reed’s passing, Hauser said he witnessed a remarkable sense of unity take root, with people joining forces to ensure that every detail was taken care of for the service. Just some of those efforts included how the Smithville FFA, led by advisor Stephen Heppe, braved the cold weather to assist with parking cars and helping visitors. Local schools provided the buses to transport attendees, while the Wayne County Engineer’s Office set up signs and lights to guide traffic and the Sheriff’s Office was on-hand to enhance public safety. Hauser emphasized that none of the volunteers sought recognition for their efforts, noting that their focus was solely on supporting Reed’s family.

“I watched the Lord work in all of our hearts. It was amazing to watch our ag community,” Hauser said. “We really watched friends and even strangers show up to do whatever it took to support Reed’s family. Reed was the kind of guy who would ask, ‘What does it take? Let’s get it handled.’ That’s exactly what our community did for that family.”

Hauser said Reed’s exceptional character has made him reflect on his own.

“He went around and he did it all. And he tried different things and he still came back to the farm and he always loved it… He experienced life to the fullest. … It made me ask myself, ‘Am I living my life like Reed? Am I leading like Reed? Am I really trusting God in my life and seeing where He’s working?’ And I can tell you, yes, now I am.”

Equipment dealership Lowe & Young has launched a pop-up online store that sells personalized t-shirts, crewnecks and hoodies in adult and youth sizes with the L&R Farms logo and the phrase “Lead like Reed” emblazoned on the back above a bible verse honoring his deep faith. It is Matthew 16:24, “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Proceeds will benefit the family.

“I will show up”

The generosity of the community, Hostetler said, has surpassed the family’s wildest imaginations. Luke Truman, one of Reed’s good friends, called Hostetler the day after the accident.

“He said, ‘Abby, people are wanting to help, and they’re asking me how. Can I set up a GoFundMe?’” She gave her blessing, and in the midst of all the turmoil, it immediately fell to the back of her mind. Originally with a $10,000 goal to help cover funeral and other expenses, the GoFundMe has since raised nearly $230,000.

“Somebody told me that because of the way Reed lived, he is making sure that our children are very well cared for, even after he died,” Hostetler said.

Inspired to continue Reed’s legacy, many have contributed to the campaign. That includes the Green Elementary Parent Teacher Organization, led by President Shelly Baumgardner, who said that their mission extends beyond education; it’s about uplifting those around them in times of both joy and sorrow, and this was one of those times.

“Myself and our PTO are deeply committed to supporting our community, not just in education but in moments that bring us together in remembrance and kindness,” Baumgardner said, adding that area schools caught wind of the news soon after it first broke. Reed was a product of the Wayne County school system. “We had the opportunity to do something not only in Reed’s honor but for his family, and without hesitation, that’s what we did.”

The PTO held a “Dine to Donate” fundraiser, where local families could eat at a participating restaurant, with a portion of their bill going toward Reed’s family. They raised $300.

Baumgardner expressed her gratitude to everyone who took part in the effort, noting that this tragedy has illuminated the deep generosity and compassion within the community.

“There are moments in life that remind us just how extraordinary a community can be,” she said. “To be part of this community is to know that no one stands alone in grief.”

For Hostetler, as she considers what comes next, she said that she draws strength from the support she’s received.

“Even today, I’m still having people show up with groceries and diapers. And I will tell you, absolutely, it has shown me that when our community needs help, help comes. And it’s also shown me that the next time our community needs help, I will be there and I will show up.”

Until then, there is work to do.

“This farm has a huge legacy behind it. And I want to be a part of that legacy, and I want my children to be a part of that legacy,” she said.