DECATUR, Illinois (WYMT) - A Perry County coal operator who died in 2017 was honored Saturday.

One of Caterpillar’s largest front end loaders that logged 80,000 hours of digging life at Pine Branch Coal will now be on permanent display at the entrance of the Decatur, Illinois plant.

The family of David Duff was on hand for the unveiling, which includes a plaque about Duff.

The same machine was parked beside Highway 28 in Chavies as a salute to Duff on the day of his funeral.

The family says the machine not only impacted their immediate family, but the surrounding communities by providing jobs and electricity into homes and businesses, sometimes hundreds of miles away.

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