Published: October 01, 2009 11:13 pm      

Tipton man dies in combine accident

Herbert Off’s son remembers him for having a passion for farming

TIPTON — What Herbert Off’s family remembered most about him Thursday — the day after he died in a combine accident — was that he was a man of his land who loved tinkering with farm equipment.

“He’s farmed all of his life. He was born and raised on a farm,” Gary Off, Herbert’s son, said Thursday. “He was 71 years old, and he still had a passion for farming.”

Herbert Off died after a combine accident Wednesday evening, according to the Tipton County Sheriff’s Department.

Off was working with a combine in his field at the intersection of 200 North and 200 West on the north side of Tipton. He was using a wrench to dislodge a clog in the combine’s throat when the tool dislodged from the machine and struck him in the head, said Tipton County Coroner Brad Nichols.

The Tipton County Sheriff Department, Tipton County Coroner’s Office, Rural Metro Ambulance, Chaplin Logan Westrick, Sharpsville Fire Department and the Sharpsville Town Marshall all responded to the accident.

Gary Off said his father farmed his roughly 100-acre property, which has been in his family for more than 200 years, as a hobby after he retired from Chrysler after 35 years.

“Everything revolved around the farm,” Gary Off said. “He spent winters in the woods clearing paths, making trails. He was just geared toward the outdoor life.”

Herbert Off leaves behind a wife, two sons, three grandchildren and a great-grandson.

“He’s a good man,” Gary Off said. “He taught me a lot. He taught my son a lot. He was a very people-oriented person.”

The family has planned funeral services for 10 a.m. Monday at St. John’s Catholic Church, 340 Mill St., Tipton.

• Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at (765) 454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com.