Cecil Pond Passed Away Yesterday 12/30/2011

[Coadster32 793]

I didn't get to meet him, but surely the legacy he leaves behind is truely amazing. RIP..and strength to his family during this difficult time.

[Suburban 550 28]

Very sad to hear. I was very lucky to meet Cecil in person and shake his hand. Rest in peace Cecil, you will be surely missed. Your tractors and your legacy will live on forever.

[Duff 206]

The world is a much better place for his time among us. Thank you, Mr. Pond, and may you find peace among the angels. God willing, we'll all meet there some day, and THAT will be quite the tractor show!

Duff

[SousaKerry 501]

I shook his hand at the 2008 show when I only had one tractor and it wasn't running(spun rod bearing), my friend Arron and I traveled out to the show with his RJ-58 had a blast and I was hooked.

Thank you Mr. Pond for building the greatest garden tractors ever made, you will be missed!

[stevasaurus 22,682]

Rest in Peace Mr. Pond...the legacy is all the great people involved in sharing with what you started.

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

I never met Mr. Pond but I think he and his whole family are a part of America that everyone can both respect cherish- to dream, to desire to make something for others and to succeed beyond your wildest dreams. Wheel Horse, Speedex and the Pond Family are forever linked to American history. Cecil Pond had a great hand in building a fantastic product. He will be long remembered and I hope emulated by others!

[AMC RULES 37,124]

This is my favorite picture of him. He was amazed when we lined up virtually every model he made. Look at that smile, he was like a little kid in a candy store.

I think it's a given, this image should be featured in the new for 2012 calender this year. Confirm?

[Redbird 1]

Monday 12-2

I just heard about Cecil today. What a great loss to all. Even harder for me as the 30th was also my birthday My prayers go out to his family.

Birdie

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Such a shame. I never got to meet him unfortunately. Hope I can in the afterlife, shake his hand and tell him how much he is appreciated.

R.I.P. Mr Pond

Gone, and never will be forgotten

[wh1257 226]

this is not good

I would have him to thank him as a pretty powerful machine invented I would thank him to thank you cecil.p

[SAM58 30]

Sad day ...

Mr. Pond has left a legacy that will live for years to come.

To the Pond family, May the Lord Bless you and keep you.

[Gary Pond 20]

Hi, I am Gary Pond (Cecils son who worked for Wheel Horse for many years until sold). My son Jonathon Pond, sister Constance, and I had the pleasure of visiting your annual Wheel Horse Collectors show in PA the year that Michael Martino came out with his 2nd edition of From the Horses Mouth. As my Dad was a number of years earlier, we were greatly impressed and proud to see the large gathering of the wonderfully restored old Wheel Horse tractors and owners.

Michael tracked me down about 5 years before the 1st edition to see if Cecil was alive and could be contacted. He told us of the Collectors Club and the need for more accurate information. That started a long and happy relationship (friendship) between Cecil and Michael.

A family member (Jonathons Mother) showed me a link to your blog. The Pond family wanted to say "Thank You" for all of the heart felt comments about Cecil, Elmer, and Wheel Horse Products. Our appreciation and respect to all Participants.

The above photo shows 4th generation Jonathon Pond with a tractor that his Great-Granddad Elmer Pond designed.

[AMC RULES 37,124]

Ooooh, we gotta get that one in the calender as well.

Maybe we should do an all Pond calender this year to mark Cecil's passing?

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,235]

Gary, please accept our deepest condolences on the passing of your father, I was never fortunate enough to meet him. You are always more than welcome to stop back and share any tid-bits of information you may have as our members would be interested in just about anything!

[Raider12 13]

My condolences to the Pond family! Cecil has left a legacy for the world to enjoy for generations to come. May your family be comforted by family, friends and heaven above during this difficult time.

[horseheadhunter 17]

Very Sad news indeed ! ! I was able to meet Cecil & his wife both years ago at the annual meet in Arendstville,Pa. I was showing a few horses & had a few tables of N.O.S. parts set up in the swap area . The Wheel Horse Collector members were taking the couple up and down through the barns on a bench seat wagon. They stopped at my booth and was looking at my birdhouses & Cecil wanted to buy one to take to his Flordia home. I told him you can't buy one but you can have one if you will sign one for me & so he did & I will never let it get away from me. A simply amazing man who was as ALL AMERICAN as one could be. He will be missed by many,but will never be forgotten... R.I.P. Cecil ! ! ~Shawn~

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,235]

Well Shawn, apparently your birdhouse was appreciated by Cecil as well. I was pleasantly surprised by an email today as follows:

From Gary Pond:

My Dad, Cecil Pond, gave me this bird house which proudly hangs in my back yard in South Bend, IN.

It would be wonderful if you had a shot of your signed Birdhouse, although I'd bet that you don't have birds living in there huh?

[horseheadhunter 17]

Well your correct my birdhouse has never had a bird living in it & never will as long as I'm the owner. I hope you all enjoy the pic . !! ~Shawn~

[Gary Pond 20]

Very nice Shawn. Hope you have over sprayed with clear coat to preserve the signature in the best possible way. Gary

[can whlvr 993]

very nice to have mr ponds family here,its an honour,and really cool story of the bird house

[horseheadhunter 17]

I was digging through my numerous boxes of show pictures & came across these...sorry that they are not clear as I took a picture of a picture to post them on here due to my scanner is on a blitz. ~Shawn~

[Gary Pond 20]

Very nice photos. I can remember as a kid, the hand laying, resin coating, molding, and sanding processees to make the fiberglass hoods over a wood pattern for the old Pond Rideaway Sr. tractors.

[can whlvr 993]

so on a lighter note gary do you have any wheelhorses,what was your favorite model?

[horseheadhunter 17]

...but your hard work paid off Gary . ~Shawn~

[Gary Pond 20]

As a kid I remember pushing a broom, making gauge wheel assemblies for cultivators, etc. I mowed lawns in the neighborhood for spending money. Cecil said I was the best test driver that they had. If I didn't break it, no one could. After coming home from "away school" at 16 years of age in early June, my Dad told me that I could report to the assembly line at 6 am for work. There went my summer at the lake plans. LOL

As far as favorites. Not really, I liked them all. As a mechanically minded person, they were all interesting to me. Two summers I worked in the Engineering Department working on parts for new prototypes. Wheel Horse bought a snowmobile company and made them for several years. They bought Elect-Trac from GE and experimented with the idea of making electric tractors.........guess that made them way ahead of the current "green" movement.

As a young married adult, I mowed my lawns with a Lawn Ranger and traveled for a year as a Credit Manager checking dealer floor plans. Worked a year in New England as a District Salesman for Maine, NH, VT, and Essex County in MA. Then transferred to Atlanta, GA as the SW Regional Sales Manager with a warehouse and in charge of 5 salesmen.