~courtesy of The Scranton Journal
A Florence, WI, resident will travel through Greene and Carroll Counties late this week en route to his home town of Willey. He’s driving a family heirloom, a restored 1951 Farmall M Diesel Tractor.
On Friday, he will travel to his original home at Willey, using County Roads E-19 and N-65, N-58 through Ralston and E-53, finally taking gravel roads to Willey. On July 30, four generations of family and friends will meet for a service in St Mary’s Cemetery.
Joe Schumacher, also known as Airplane Joe, has enjoyed an illustrious career in aviation spanning more than six decades. Over those years Joe met and was befriended by enumerable world-famous and many ordinary aviators, especially during his 16-year role as director of operations for aircraft, for all aircraft for the Annual EAA Air Show in Oshkosh, WI.
Joe met his wife Jill, also a pilot, at EAA, where she continues to work in operations with the Airshow. While Joe still flies, builds and remodels aircraft and consults to airports and aviators, this month Airplane Joe will slow down.
For several months now, Joe has been refurbishing his dad’s 1951 Farmall M Diesel tractor. When he was 5 years old, Joe vividly remembers his father driving through the gates of the Schumacher Family Century Farm in Carroll County where Joe grew up with 10 sisters and two brothers.
In fact, it was Joe’s dad, a pilot himself, who inspired his young sons, Joe, Marty and Jerry with a love of aviation and of tractors!
Early on the morning of July 20, Joe left his driveway in the northern Wisconsin woods, and began a 625-mile adventure to return this family treasure to the family farm, as a tribute to their father, Paul. Joe has added an extra seat to the tractor so family and friends can join the ride.
Taking county back-roads at 12 miles per hour through Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota and Iowa on a well-planned route, the trip will take at least seven days.
Joe planned three days in Wisconsin. He then crossed the Mississippi River at Winona, MN, early on Sunday morning, July 24. He expected to journey one day through Minnesota to Cresco, Iowa, from where the final segment commenced on Tuesday, July 26.
Some family and friends may join the tractor ride at the river crossing, but more will participate from Cresco for the final three-to-four-day journey to the small town of Willey, just three miles from the homestead.
He plans to stop in Churdan on Thursday, July 28. His journey on Friday will take him to Willey.
There on Saturday, July 30, four generations of family and friends will first gather for a service in St. Mary’s Cemetery to honor their parents, Paul and Marie Schumacher. The treasured tractor’s final journey home will end with a celebration at the farm, now operated by Joe’s brother Marty and his wife JoAnn.
Please be on the look-out for Joe and his shiny rig! Any local smiles, honking and waving, cordial conversation, picture-taking and all slices of homemade pie will be welcome, as Joe and this family treasure work their way home in Iowa.
