“On the Brink of a Great Career – Who’ll Push Me Off?”
Marilyn Rogers might not have known just how spot-on her husband Dewey’s high school yearbook caption would be, but life sure had a way of making it true. From small-town high school sweethearts to towing industry pioneers, Marilyn and Dewey carved out a legacy in towing, proving that resilience, family, and a bit of Wisconsin grit can build an empire.
From Gas Pumps to Tow Trucks: The Start of Something Big
It was 1955. Marilyn and Dewey were just 22 years old when they took a leap of faith and leased a Mobil gas station in South Beloit. The plan? Temporary. Dewey had his sights set on becoming a pharmacist, but life had other ideas. The country was in a recession, and with a little one at home, they had to make the practical choice, and one that ended up shaping the rest of their lives.
New Year’s Eve 1957, a blizzard swept through the area. That night, tragedy struck when a local tow truck driver lost his life while winching a car out of the ditch. The police chief approached Dewey, asking him to purchase the company from the driver’s widow. He even offered to help finance the deal because the area needed a towing service…and fast.
By January 7, 1958, Marilyn and Dewey officially owned their first tow truck. It was a 1956 Chevrolet pre-war Holmes W-35 Heavy Duty Wrecker. The same truck involved in the tragic accident that changed their path now became the foundation of Dewey’s Service Inc.
A Family Business in Every Sense
Marilyn made it clear. The employees from the previous owner would keep driving the truck, but Dewey needed to stay at the gas station. Having a young child at home and witnessing firsthand the dangers of the job, she was determined not to become a widow herself. But, as anyone who has ever been in towing knows, plans and reality do not always align. Dewey wasn’t one to sit on the sidelines either, and before long, he was out running calls right alongside the crew.
As the years rolled by, towing became a full-on family affair. Marilyn’s sister, Gladys, stepped in to help with the kids and the bookkeeping. Her mom lived close
to the school, so the kids always had a safe place to go. Marilyn did it all- dispatching, bookkeeping, running the gas station counter, and even hopping behind the wheel when duty called. Marilyn wasn’t just balancing work and home, she was integrating them.
In 1967, Marilyn and Dewey attended the first-ever Wisconsin Towing Association (WTA) meeting. It was a smoke-filled room of men and not another woman was in sight. They arrived 15 minutes late, and Dewey, refusing to stay, turned right back around. However, at the second meeting, Marilyn was prepared. She grabbed their daughter, Jean from the car and marched right in. Dewey had no choice but to follow. Decades later, Jean would become the second-ever female president of the WTA – a full-circle moment! That is something that still makes Marilyn smile today. It was not always easy for women in towing, and Marilyn fought for years to get the ladies their own space at industry events. When the WTA finally set up a Ladies’ Luncheon at the annual convention, she knew that progress was being made.
The Highs and Lows of the Towing Life
Marilyn wore a lot of hats, but she was never afraid to roll up her sleeves and get to work. One Easter morning, eight months pregnant and dressed in her Sunday best, she had to jump in a truck to help on a call, heels and all. And when Dewey needed backup on long hauls, Marilyn would drive while he slept, waking him up when they hit a city so he could take over.
But the road was not always smooth. Marilyn recalls some of the toughest times:
- The Break-In – After towing a car involved in an arrest, the suspects stole Marilyn’s purse. They broke into their home not once, but twice, and the second time, they tied up the whole family. Thinking fast, Marilyn told them the police were expecting them on a call. If they didn’t show up, officers would come looking. That was enough to scare them off, and the police caught them soon after.
- A Roadside Tragedy – In the 1980s, her son-in-law Gary and driver Doug were hit while working on the side of the road. Both survived, but Doug suffered severe burns. To this day, Gary carries the mental scars from that accident.
A Legacy That Lives On
Today, at 92, Marilyn may not be in the shop every day, but she is still the matriarch, keeping the business and family together. She lives in a four-generation household with her daughter, Jean, son-in-law Gary, granddaughter Johanna, and her great-granddaughters who keep her on her toes. The business has grown from a single truck to a fleet of ten, and employees are not just employees, because they are family, whether they share her last name or not.
Marilyn may not have had role models in the industry when she started, but she and Dewey built something bigger than themselves…a legacy of resilience, innovation, and family-first values. They turned a gas station lease into a multi-generational business, proving that success is not just about having a plan, it is about the grit needed to roll with life’s unexpected detours. Over time, the WTA and the towing community became her extended family, offering support and friendship through the ups and downs of this wild industry. Marilyn is proud of the business she and Dewey built brick by brick, mile by mile.
If there is one thing Marilyn’s story proves, it is that the greatest careers don’t always come from a plan. Sometimes, they come from picking up the phone and answering the call. Literally! Seven decades, countless stories, and an unwavering commitment to the towing industry, Marilyn and Dewey didn’t just build a business. They built a legacy that continues to grow.
