November 14, 1996
. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - Alvin Straight, the man who drove his lawn mower nearly 240 miles to visit his ailing brother, has died. He was 76.
Straight, who lived in Laurens, died Saturday of a heart ailment at a Sioux City hospital. He was buried Tuesday at Ida Grove Cemetery. His funeral procession was accompanied by a lawn mower similar to the one he was known for riding.
The mower rode on a trailer pulled by the second car in the funeral procession.
Straight's famous journey was in the summer of 1994. He drove his 1966 John Deere lawn mower across Iowa and part of Wisconsin to visit his brother, Henry, who had suffered a stroke. Straight wanted to visit his brother but couldn't see well enough to get a driver's license.
He didn't want to fly, take a train or bus or let anyone else drive, so he decided his only option was the John Deere.
Straight set off in early July 1994, pulling a trailer loaded with gasoline, camping supplies, clothes and food. He arrived at his brother's in Blue River, Wis., in mid-August 1994.
The trip attracted national attention and calls ranging from Jay Leno to Paul Harvey to David Letterman.
Henry Straight moved to Iowa from Wisconsin earlier this year and now lives in Wall Lake.
Besides his brother, Straight is survived by five sons, Lewis of Reasoner; Patrick of Grand Island, Neb.; William and Gus of Newton and Joseph of Des Moines; two daughters, Dian Thorton of Newton and Laura M. Straight; and 14 grandchildren.