Dent, Sackmanns named to Ag Hall of Fame

MOSES LAKE — Some leading lights in the Moses Lake area agricultural community were inducted Oct. 21 into the Moses Lake Ag Hall of Fame. 

The first inductees were Sid and Debbie Sackmann, introduced by state Sen. Judy Warnick. The Sackmanns grew up together in Lind and both graduated high school there, Debbie in 1968 and Sid in 1969. After graduation, Debbie went to Central Washington University and earned her teaching certification, while Sid studied animal science at Washington State University. 

“He went to work for a rancher, gaining valuable hands-on experience with cattle and learning what it meant to be a cowboy,” Warnick said. “When it came time for him to move on, he accepted cattle as his final payment. This was the beginning of the cattle side of the farm's history. Searching for a place to call their own, Sid fell in love with the irrigated land of central Washington. They found a farm in Moses Lake that needed some TLC and set to work growing alfalfa, hay, wheat and peas and building their cattle herd. And they also grew a pretty nice family during that time.” 

The Sackmanns had three children: Jeff (Jaime) Sackmann, Annie (Tom) Hindman and Julie (Jimmy) Griffith.  

“In the early years, (Debbie) stayed home and worked alongside Sid,” Warnick said. “Raking and baling hay with a baby or toddler in a tractor cab wasn't unusual. It was simply a part of life. When their youngest daughter went to kindergarten, Debbie began teaching full-time in the Warden School District. She spent 20 years as an educator, often bringing agriculture into her classroom lessons. She raised pumpkins for her students, taught units on wheat and led countless farm tours connecting students to the land and the work that sustains us.” 

The Sackmanns have been staunch supporters of the Future Farmers of America and 4-H programs, Warnick said, and have employed countless students who needed summer jobs. 

“Sid and Debbie are probably best known for their willingness to lend a hand and give an opportunity when someone is down on their luck,” Warnick said. “Sid keeps them employed, but Debbie puts them to work. (Their farm) has offered a soft place to land, a warm meal, and a sense of purpose to many. Together they provide not only work, but dignity, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.” 

The second honoree was state Rep. Tom Dent, introduced by former state Rep. Gary Chandler. Dent and his wife Dayna raise bison near Moses Lake. Dent also started Tom Dent Aviation in 1977, offering flight instruction and pilot service, and added crop dusting in 1984, according to his legislative biography. He sold the business after the 2014 season when he entered the state Legislature. 

“I don’t know how many times I had that plane fly over my house,” Chandler said. “(He was) trying to wake me up, I guess, at like 5 o’clock in the morning.” 

Dent serves on several committees that are essential to life in the Columbia Basin, Chandler said, including Youth and Early Learning and Transportation, and is the ranking member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. 

“He's a strong proponent, pushing hard to finally fulfill what was promised many years ago, and that is the completion of the Columbia Basin Project and getting ... (farmers) off of wells and onto the water that they were promised,” Chandler said.  

The Ag Hall of Fame was created in 2011 to honor those who have made significant contributions to the agricultural industry. Community members can nominate people for the honor through the Chamber’s website. Since its inception, the Hall of Fame has honored 40 outstanding members of the local ag community, including Chandler in 2019. 

“That meant more to me than any of the other awards that I ever received,” Chandler said. 

    Debbie and Sid Sackmann, surrounded by family, were inducted Oct. 21 into the Moses Lake Ag Hall of Fame.
  

    Gary Chandler and Tom Dent share a hug at the Moses Lake Ag Hall of Fame Awards Oct. 21.