Alvin Straight
Encyclopedia
Alvin Ray Straight was a resident of Laurens
, Iowa
. He gained fame for traveling 240 miles (386.2 km) on a 1966 John Deere
riding lawn mower to visit his 80-year-old brother Henry in Blue River, Wisconsin
who had recently had a stroke. At a top speed of 5 miles per hour (8 km/h), the journey took six weeks. The trip took place in the summer of 1994 when Alvin was 73 years old.
Mr. Straight could not see well enough to get a driver's license so he decided his only option was the mower. Setting off in early July, he towed a trailer loaded with gasoline, camping gear, clothes and food, and arrived at his brother's in Blue River, Wis., in mid-August. Henry Straight recovered and moved back to Iowa to be closer to his family.
Alvin Straight was born in Scobey, Montana. He lived in Minnesota as a child. He moved with his wife Frances and their family to Lake View, Iowa in 1973 where he worked as a general laborer. He was a veteran of World War II (serving as Private First Class (PFC) in the United States Army) and the Korean War. He was the father of five sons and two daughters.
On November 9, 1996, Mr. Straight died of an heart ailment. A mower similar to the one he had used on his trip accompanied his funeral procession to the Ida Grove Cemetery.
Straight's story was adapted into the film The Straight Story
, directed by David Lynch
, which starred Richard Farnsworth
(in an Oscar nominated
role) as Alvin Straight.
Laurens, Iowa
Laurens is a city in Pocahontas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,476 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Laurens is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He gained fame for traveling 240 miles (386.2 km) on a 1966 John Deere
Deere & Company
Deere & Company, usually known by its brand name John Deere , is an American corporation based in Moline, Illinois, and the leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the world. In 2010, it was listed as 107th in the Fortune 500 ranking...
riding lawn mower to visit his 80-year-old brother Henry in Blue River, Wisconsin
Blue River, Wisconsin
Blue River is a village in Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 429 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blue River is located at ....
who had recently had a stroke. At a top speed of 5 miles per hour (8 km/h), the journey took six weeks. The trip took place in the summer of 1994 when Alvin was 73 years old.
Mr. Straight could not see well enough to get a driver's license so he decided his only option was the mower. Setting off in early July, he towed a trailer loaded with gasoline, camping gear, clothes and food, and arrived at his brother's in Blue River, Wis., in mid-August. Henry Straight recovered and moved back to Iowa to be closer to his family.
Alvin Straight was born in Scobey, Montana. He lived in Minnesota as a child. He moved with his wife Frances and their family to Lake View, Iowa in 1973 where he worked as a general laborer. He was a veteran of World War II (serving as Private First Class (PFC) in the United States Army) and the Korean War. He was the father of five sons and two daughters.
On November 9, 1996, Mr. Straight died of an heart ailment. A mower similar to the one he had used on his trip accompanied his funeral procession to the Ida Grove Cemetery.
Straight's story was adapted into the film The Straight Story
The Straight Story
The Straight Story is a 1999 film directed by David Lynch. The film was edited and produced by Mary Sweeney, Lynch's longtime partner and co-worker. She co-wrote the script with John E. Roach....
, directed by David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
, which starred Richard Farnsworth
Richard Farnsworth
Richard W. Farnsworth was an American actor and stuntman. His film career began in 1937; however, he achieved his greatest success for his performances in The Grey Fox and The Straight Story , for which he received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor.- Early life :Farnsworth was born...
(in an Oscar nominated
72nd Academy Awards
The 72nd Academy Awards ceremony took place at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, and was Billy Crystal's seventh time hosting the Awards. The ceremony attracted 46.53 million viewers, an audience 3.7% bigger than the previous ceremony.The Academy Awards ceremony was dominated by two films...
role) as Alvin Straight.
External links
- The Des Moines Register biography http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/FAMOUSIOWANS/41221018
- Find-a-Grave listing http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9303