Photo by Mike Lamb JD Plumbing owner Justin Duscher, right, stands in front of the business in Milroy with his father, Ken.

There’s a sign inside the JD Plumbing shop that hangs as a reminder of a family tradition in providing plumbing services to Milroy and the surrounding area.

Ken Duscher pointed to the “Ken’s Plumbing” sign while talking about a business he started in 1976. And it’s a business that continues to thrive thanks to his son, Justin.

“We have been around a long time,” Justin Duscher said as his dad stood just a few steps away.

“I worked for a guy for 10 years. I climbed up the ladder and people kept asking for us to come over to this town (Milroy). So we had a couple jobs over here and some houses and we got to work. They were putting in sewers to the houses,” Ken Duscher said.

“We have five boys and they all helped.”

But it was Justin who stayed in the business and took over. He purchase the business outright 2017, and had to change the name, choosing JD Plumbing.

“We keep busy out here. We don’t have to go into town (Marshall). Every once in awhile we have to,” Justin Duscher said.

He said he relies mostly by word of mouth for business.

“If you do the stuff right, the next guy hears about you,” Justin Duscher said. “When we get a house project we end up doing everything. The whole project –the heating, the septic. We do a lot housing. Farm stuff like water line work, livestock water lines. During the past year we have done a lot of the big farm shops.”

JD plumbing is also taking on installing geothermal systems.

While their businesses relied on customers spreading the word, the Duschers return the favor to the community with volunteering time and donations.

“We just got back into the FunFest,” Justin Duscher said. “I’ve been on the fire department since 2013. I’ve learned to run the pump trucks. Most of the time if I’m not there, no one knows how to pump water. No one wants that job so I do it.”

He said he’s usually just a few miles away from the fire hall so “that’s pretty handy.”

Justin Duscher said there are about 20 volunteer firefighters in Milroy.

“We just got a grant for fire here,” he said. “I’m on the committee for that too.”

“It’s like, you are around here all the time, so you do what you can,” he also said.

The tradition of giving back to the community, however, goes all the way back to Ken’s Plumbing.

“We did parades and stuff,” Ken Duscher said. “Did floats, donated to whatever, you know. I advertised for ballgames. Our name is out there.

” I still get pestered,” he said with a laugh.

JD Plumbing has been advertising for the Milroy Yankees baseball team.

Both father and son said they are glad they can help out the community.

“They (community) don’t want us to leave,” Justin Duscher said with a laugh.

“They come looking for you,” Ken Duscher also said with a laugh.