Airplane Joe to visit Cresco

CRESCO - Florence, Wis. resident, Joe Schumacher, also known as Airplane Joe, has enjoyed an illustrious career in aviation spanning more than six decades. 

Over those years Schumacher met and was befriended by enumerable world-famous and as 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, Wis. 

Joe met his wife Jill, also a pilot, at EAA, where she continues to work in operations with the Airshow. While Schumacherstill flies, builds and remodels aircraft and consults to airports and aviators, this month Airplane he will slow it way down.

For several months now, Schumacher has been refurbishing his dad’s 1951 Farmall M Diesel tractor, which at five-years-old, he vividly remembers his father driving through the gates of the Schumacher family Century Farm in Carroll County, Iowa, where Schumacher 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! 

On the morning of July 20, at the crack of dawn, Joe will leave his driveway in the northern Wisconsin woods and begin a 625-mile adventure to return this family treasure to the family farm, a tribute to their father, Paul. Schumacher 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. Schumacher plans three days in Wisconsin, then he will cross the Mississippi River at Winona, Minn. early on Sunday morning, July 24. 

He will journey one day through Minnesota to Cresco, Iowa, from where the final segment will commence 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 3-4-day journey to the village of Willey, Iowa, just three miles from the homestead.

There on 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 Schumacher and his shiny rig! Any local smiles, honking and waving, cordial conversation, picturetaking and all slices of homemade pie will be welcome, as Schumacher and this Family Treasure work their way home in Iowa. It will be nice for him to know he has a friend in you!