There is an 8-foot high sign along U.S. Highway 65/69 near the intersection with Scotch Ridge Road that was built in memory of Joel Todd of Carlisle, IA, who died in a 1995 tree-cutting accident at the age of 35.
Every day, the black and white sign along U.S. HIgHway reminds 20,000 motorists of a Christian message. It says, on one side, “Christ died for our sins, 1st Corinthians 15:3.” On the other, “Prepare to meet thy God, Amos 4:12.” That’s it, in its 8-fopt by 12-foot entirety. No advertisements or group affiliations inscribed on either face. And the people who built it: “They believe in Christ, is basically the story,” said Warren County Zoning Director Bob Folkestad. …Well, that’s part of the story, anyway.
The other part is lesser known, and more personal to its creators. The sign is a memorial. “My son, Joel, died … in an accident,” said Avian Todd of Indianola. “We put up the sign in memory of Joel.” Joel Todd grew up in Indianola with his parents, Avian and George, and five siblings. He lived at the farmhouse near the intersection of Scotch Ridge Road with his wife, Diana, until his death at age 35. He was cutting a high-hanging tree branch in 1995 when the branch snapped and struck him in the head, knocking him out of a cherry picker. “He had wanted for years to build that sign,” said Joel Todd’s widow, Diana Dear. “My father-in-law wanted to honor his wishes.”
George Todd vowed to erect the sign. He selected the Bible passages and chipped in $200 for materials.
Kevin Seiberling, owner of etc!graphics sign company in Carlisle, rented the farmhouse and designed the sign. It’s been up for approximately eight years. “It was a pleasure to put God’s word on the highway for people to see,” Seiberling said. “I’m very happy to let people know that Jesus is the savior and spread that message as best as I am able, I would encourage others to do the same.”
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Religious signage was in the central Iowa news last week, after an atheist group’s signs were pulled from Des Moines Area Regional Transit buses. The ads sponsored by the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers group read, “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.” DART officials said they received several complaints about the ad; a few days later, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver called the sign offensive. “I was disturbed, personally, by the advertisement and I can understand why other lowans were also disturbed by the message that it sent,” Culver told The Des Moines Register. Unlike the bus advertisements, the Todds’ Christian-oriented sign has generated little or no public controversy. There have been no complaints or comments about the sign or its message, said Kevin Middleswart, chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors. “Anyone’s entitled to express their personal opinion, religious opinion or whatever,” Middleswart said. “It’s certainly not anything I could ever envision the county addressing.”
Folkestad, the zoning director, said county ordinance allows for the signage on private property. But even if the zoning was in question, he’d be hesitant to cause a stir. “The guy on the other side might win,” Folkestad said. “You don’t mess with God.” Jon Todd of Indianola had an intense spiritual experience as he helped build his brother’s memorial. Late one evening, he had helped pour three concrete bases for the signposts. In those bases, he’d placed three wooden planks. Finally, he had nailed a crossbar across the three posts. The only remaining task was to hang the sign. The sun was setting behind him. That’s when it happened. “There were three wooden crosses, cast in shadows, on the hill with the red sun behind,” Jon Todd said. “I knew, then, that God was looking over it. There were three crosses when Jesus was put to the cross.”
Meanwhile, in addition to its sentimental value, the sign also fulfills its obvious purpose. “Of course it’s meant to convert people,” Avian Todd said. “Why would you put a sign up unless you meant to convert people?” But Seiberling said none of them are the “real campaigners or parade marcher” types. “The messages on the sign we fully and wholeheartedly believe,” Seiberling said. “But we’re not so much the in-your-face type. That’s what a billboard can be is, sort of, a silent messenger.”