R. G. LeTourneau
During this time, LeTourneau worked at a number of jobs including wood cutter, farm hand, miner and carpenter's laborer, acquiring a sound knowledge of the manual trades that would prove invaluable in later life.
[citation needed] After working on a project to build a bridge across the Stanislaus River, and seeing first hand the Fresno scraper, he was anxious to put to use his mechanical skills.
[citation needed] As described in the 2007 company biography, "[i]n 1911, LeTourneau was employed at the Superior Garage in Stockton, California, where he learned about vehicle mechanics and later became half-owner of the business.
[5][independent source needed] As also described in the company biography:This type of work appealed to LeTourneau and in January of 1920, he purchased a used Holt tractor and, with a hired scraper, commenced business as a land leveling contractor.
In May of 1921, he purchased a plot of land in Stockton, California, and established a small engineering workshop, where he designed and built several types of scrapers.
Combining contracting and earthmoving equipment manufacturing, his business soon began to expand and, in 1929, ...were incorporated in California as R. G. LeTourneau, Inc.[5][independent source needed] Continuing, the biography states,Letourneau completed many earthmoving projects during the 1920's and early 1930's, including the Boulder Highway to Hoover Dam in Nevada, the Marysville Levees, Orange County Dam and the Newhall Cut-off in California.
[5][independent source needed]In 1953, LeTourneau sold his entire earthmoving equipment line—including plants, land, machinery, and inventory—to the Westinghouse Air Brake Company for US$ 31 million.
[citation needed] After 1966, LeTourneau continued to work each day and could be found at the drawing board in his modest office, designing new ways to move larger loads faster and more economically.
[citation needed] He designed and built machines using technology that was years, sometimes decades, ahead of its time,[editorializing] and became recognized worldwide as a leader in the development and manufacture of heavy equipment.
"[5][independent source needed] In 1965, International Correspondence Schools awarded LeTourneau his diploma in engineering, 50 years after he studied from their course materials.
[citation needed] For 30 years he flew thousands of miles each week to maintain Christian speaking engagements around the United States and overseas.
[17] "You have made the word of God a glorious, practical reality," radio program host Robert Ripley told LeTourneau, then turned to the audience with his own trademark flourish.
"[18] LeTourneau was a firm believer in the effectiveness of practical instruction combined with classroom studies; and, in 1946, he purchased an unused military hospital, accompanying land and buildings in Longview.
[independent source needed][9]: 256f In 1954, a colonization project with similar objectives to those in Liberia was established in the country of Peru, South America.
[1] He was survived by his wife, Evelyn, and five children:[1] four sons (Richard, Roy, Ted, and Ben), and a daughter, Louise Dick.
[citation needed] Having spent his entire life around earthmoving equipment, LeTourneau (by description of those close to him), was just as likely to be seen at the controls of one of his machines as attending to corporate matters; he preferred the former.
