Casher William Hitchens

Born at home in 1933, the same year the Ocean City Inlet was cut through by a major hurricane, on the family farm in Bishopville, Maryland, Casher Hitchens made his last trip on Sunday, January 24th, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Ingeborg Kluge, and his five children, Anne Einhorn (Larry), Kathy McQuown (Jerry), Buddy (Norma), Steve, and Tim (Gemma). He was predeceased by his son Ronald (1957). He was the proud Grandfather to twelve grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren with the sixteenth due in June. He was one of eleven children and is survived by siblings Oliver, Wilmer, Bill, Jim, Richard and one sister. Casher and Inge opened their home to several individuals who became their “adopted” family. They were given “a roof over their head”, an ear for listening, and advice, if asked.

Casher quit school after completing what he always referred to as his “Eighth Reader’ to help support his parents, eight brothers & two sisters. At the age of sixteen, he learned how to drive a tractor trailer and began hauling biddies (baby chickens) to Florida for Morris Poultry Farm in Bishopville, Maryland. This began a lifetime love for driving trucks and he continued to do so until his retirement. He was one of the first Million Mile Safe Drivers from Perdue Farms and received a proclamation from, then Governor Tribbitt, in recognition.

Pop had his own dress code of green Dickie pants, short or long-sleeved plaid shirts, work boots and his favorite hat of the time. Because of this, it was easy to spot him in a crowd and he was sure to never scare his chickens by wearing brighter colors! Casher also worked as a poultry grower and made one attempt to leave the Eastern Shore when he went to work in New Orleans on an oil tanker for Sun Oil. He only lasted two trips, one through the Gulf Coast ports and the second to Philadelphia where he jumped ship and returned home most likely because he missed his Mom’s cooking and his family.

He took great pride in his family, paying off his debts, and always having a job to provide for his family. He was no stranger to hard work and he instilled that in his children who affectionately called him “Pop”. Casher was always willing to help someone who was willing to help themselves and without asking anything in return. He had his own code of honor and was a Mason and 32nd Degree Shriner because he believed wholeheartedly in taking care of the children. We will never know just how many he did help because it was done without expecting acknowledgement.

Casher drove over five million miles during his more than 50 years on the road. If he left a job, it was to go to a better one and he always left on good terms, with one exception. He never had an accident, only four tickets and always took care of his trucks. Early in his career he worked for Polin Poultry hauling “honey meal” from Bishop Processing to New Jersey. The truck needed maintenance. Casher had to pull the gas pedal up with a rope he had attached. After many requests and no action from the boss, he left the once again broken down truck in Dover and hitched a ride home with a Perdue driver. Needless to say that was the last trip for Polin.

When Casher & Inge first met he was driving for Murrays live haul. He stayed with them until they married and took a job with Perdue hauling bagged feed to farms. They soon saved enough money to make a down payment on the farm in Selbyville and he then went back to work for Morris Poultry to haul baby chickens. On weekends he worked on a chicken farm so they could pay off the mortgage and add another chicken house and expand their home. He never collected unemployment, something he was proud of; always had the next job lined up before leaving the previous. He hauled oil for Pure Oil (Adams); briefly ran the Showell Poultry feed mill before being asked by Showell to go back on the truck after losing his right index finger in a conveyer belt accident in the feed mill. Casher put that shortened finger to good use. He once saw a lady fussing with her grandson who was picking his nose. Casher stopped near them and said, “Young man, you better stop that. See what happened to my finger”, as he put it up to his nose. The boy started howling and Grandma almost fell over laughing. We’ve often wondered if this was a permanent correction for the many children Casher pranked with this gesture.

In 1968, he and his wife, Inge, bought her widowed Mother’s farm and moved to Eden, Maryland to keep the farm that her Father loved, in the family. He affectionately, (most of the time) called Inge the “Farm Manager” and referred to himself as “The Tenant”. Through 67 years of marriage, good times and bad, Casher entrusted Inge with running the farm while he drove the truck and when home, worked side-by-side with her to care for his family and the farm he grew to love. We can hardly estimate how many millions of broiler chickens the farm produced over 64 years of raising chickens for several different companies. When they moved to Eden, Casher worked for Perdue, Mountaire and Tri County Gas, mostly long distance, first hauling dressed poultry, followed by hatching eggs and finally, propane gas. He had a brief job with Hitchens Brothers hauling locally. In 1993, Casher hung up his truck keys, became a full time poultry farmer to 80,000 birds per flock which fed many families, especially his own. One of his commanding principles was to work for what you need or want; never to ask for a handout.

He was very proud of all his natural born children and those “adopted” and enjoyed welcoming them back home whenever they could return to visit. He and Inge also helped co-parent their grandchildren whenever the need would arise. In 1980, he spent ten days aboard the USS Eisenhower with his son, Buddy and because of his ability to command attention, had many believing he was the Commander. A man most comfortable at home, this was a far-reaching trip for Casher but one he talked about fondly. He loved the “old” Nascar and took a trip around the track in Dover, which put a more than usual impish grin on his face the entire lap. His travels mostly took him to visit family along the east coast as he always said he had seen enough of this country during his many years of driving a truck. His childhood dream of visiting Alaska was realized when he and Inge traveled there in 1993.

He was especially proud to be called Pop-Pop and reveled in time spent with them once they began walking and talking. We believe he only ever changed one diaper! Nearly every grandchild received their first driving lessons on the family farm thanks to Pop-Pop and the rest of us received lessons on the road whenever he was our passenger.

The Hitchens Family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Coastal Hospice & Palliative Care, the many friends, neighbors, and family members who offered their guidance and help during Casher’s final days at home. The Mayor of Siloam has traveled on up the road.

Interment was at Bishopville Cemetery in Bishopville, Maryland. In the coming days, we will gather to celebrate Casher’s life and the Hitchens legacy his family is so very proud of. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Casher’s memory to Shriners Hospitals for Children, Processing Center, PO Box 863765 Orlando FL 32886 or a charity of your choice.