Wesley Keene, 75, was just a kid when his daddy, Joe, brought home a 1949 Farmall Cub.

It was the early ‘50s and Joe needed the tractor — manufactured by International Harvester — to work in his gardens.

“He bought it used and got all the equipment,” Keene said of his dad.

Seven or eight implements were initially designed for the little tractor including a plow, disc, backblade, sickle-bar mower, belly mower and a one-armed front-end loader. Keene remembers how his dad would use the attachments whether it was at home, at his grandmother’s place or helping a nearby neighbor.

Through its 67 years, the tractor — of course — saw it’s fair share of bumps, scrapes and rust.

As days turned into months and months into years, Keene inherited the tractor. And, he dreamed of the Farmall Cub’s restoration.

“I held on to it and it was always something I wanted to do,” he said.

The only problem, “I knew I didn’t have the talent to do it.”

Of course, the retired engineer would talk about his daddy’s old tractor and during a visit to his sister-in-law’s house he heard about a Limestone County man in the O’Neal Community.

“Ray Williams works on tractors. I bet he can do it,” Keene was told.

It wasn’t long before he jumped on the opportunity to seek Williams out for the job.

And, Williams obliged.

That rusted tractor was hauled to the Williams’ place the first of March.

The 73-year-old went to work taking every piece apart. “If a part moved or turned it was taken apart,” Keene said. “No two pieces were left together.”

Williams, also retired and known for being able to fix just about anything, said Keene would come out every few days to check on the progress. He recalled one day when he stopped by and asked, “Where’s my tractor?”

Williams replied, “I did exactly what I was asked to do. I took it apart.”

Keene talks kindly of Williams. “I am happy to find Ray,” he said. “He is someone who can do it and do it properly.”

Williams started working on tractors at age 17 and he hasn’t stopped. He even tinkers around the shop making toy tractors out of old Singer sewing machines.

“I enjoy doing it,” Williams said. “I’ve worked on that model before.” He still recalls his days of youth when parts arrived at Athens Truck and Tractor by pallet and had to be completely assembled.

“See, I found the right man to do it,” Keene said of Williams when the job was finished last week.

Now, Keene plans sharing his daddy’s tractor and Williams’ handy work.

“It’s for family and show,” he said.