Siloam Proud

When Walter Soucie bought a 1948 Dodge pickup in seventh grade, some 45 years ago, there was no way he could have known it would become part of his family. Over the years, all of his eight children have helped work on the truck and his grandchildren have even used the bed for a playpen. Now Soucie, who owns Walter's Garage on Lin - coln Street, drives the truck on a daily basis. He enjoys the smiles it brings to people of all ages, from young children who see it as a "Hot Wheels" truck, to teens and older people who relish the memories it evokes. In May, Soucie's truck was named one of 12 judges favorites at the Darryl Starbird Annual Car Show in Tulsa, Okla. Later in May, the truck won Strawberry Queen's Choice at the Stilwell (Okla.) Strawberry Festival. It was also on exhibit at the Dogwood Festival this year. "I was just blown away, because it's not a show truck," Soucie said. "I just built it to drive and that's what I do." Growing up a mechanic Soucie has owned his auto repair business on Lincoln Street, where he fixes everything from weed eaters to bulldozers, for the past two years, but he has been working on cars for his whole life. Even though he was still too young to drive when he bought the Dodge, it wasn't his first vehicle, Soucie said. When he was growing up in Maine, his father, Bill Soucie, owned a wrecker business, a salvage yard and a garage. Walter Sou - cie said his mother, Sabra Soucie, has photos of him helping his dad work on cars when he was in diapers and his father gave him his first vehicle, a wrecked 1952 Chevy, when he was 5, after he man- aged to hook up a battery and hot wire the car all by himself. "From that point on, (my father) would take me to the shop with him and let me do things," Walter Soucie said. "I always wanted to learn more. If someone made it, I can figure it out." Walter Soucie found the Dodge in the woods, where hunters had used it for target practice and a maple tree had fallen and crushed the cab. He bought it for $25, which was a lot of money to him at the time, he said. His father was less than pleased with the purchase. "My father had a fit, (he said) 'How are going to fix that?'" he said with a laugh. Walter Soucie spent most of his teen years fixing the truck and getting it working. His first experi - ments with bodywork were pushing the cab back up and fixing the dents and bullet holes. By Janelle Jessen Staff Writer n jjessen@nwadg.com H e enjoys that truck and I'm so proud when I'm riding with him because when I look at him I see how happy he is. He has worked on it forever, he has put our family first and put the truck on the back burner all the time." — Cressa Soucie Restoring 1948 Dodge truck a passion for Soucie Part of the family Janelle Jessen/Herald-Leader Walter Soucie sits in the cab of his 1948 Dodge truck. Soucie has owned the truck for 45 years, since he was in seventh grade. Cressa and Walter Soucie's truck has become part of the family over the years. Soucie looks under the hood of his truck. Soucie has done all of the work on the truck himself, starting when he was just a teenager. Proud Wednesday, June 23, 2021 n 1C Siloam Springs Herald-Leader See SOUCIE on Page 3C

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