Hello all,

Does anyone remember Tony Werner. Back in the day he flew his airplane around area lakes and made a few dollars offering "Scenic Sedan Rides" mostly to summer vacationers. Included is picture of Tony on the West end of Lake Nokomis around 65'. I would enjoy learning more about him.

Thx....

Deltatango...

I can't help you with info on Tony Werner but there are some posts from the past year that have 'Nokomis' as part of the subject. If I remember correctly someone was even writing a history of the Nokomis area. The Message Board has a Search feature...try plugging in 'Nokomis' to bring up some of the posts. You might find something that could lead you to someone who knows something about Tony.

Good luck on your search...

Ken

_________________
Ken Martell
kenmartell@gmail.com
Thankful to be alive and healthy. Proud to call Tomahawk my hometown.

As I recall, Tony lived on Kings Rd. across from the school on the river. He had a hanger in the basement and stored his float plane under the house. I often saw him taking off on that stretch of river. In the 70's he taught school in Tomahawk. He had a son and a daughter, but I don't recall their names.

_________________
God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

the sons name is Robin Werner & still lives in the house - yes the airplane hanger or whatever it is referred to by - is still at the house. Robin s invovlved with the Tomahawk airport - in what capacity I do not know. I am sure the airport personel can help answer any questions you have. I believe that Tony just passed away about 3 - 6? months ago.

Some Google searching found Tony's name and the King Road address associated with the Lincoln County Historical Society. Seems to be the same guy. Might try contacting them.

LINCOLN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
(c/o N A TONY WERNER) E KING RD
TOMAHAWK, WI 54487-1520

Lincoln County Historical Society
1204 Sixth Street, Merrill, WI 54452

_________________
Ken Martell
kenmartell@gmail.com
Thankful to be alive and healthy. Proud to call Tomahawk my hometown.

kmartell,logic1, and Old Scout,

Thank you so much for responding to my inquiry. Sorry to hear about Tony leaving us.

logic1, thanks for the Tomahawk Airport lead.

Ken, thanks alot for your help and the Historical Society lead.

Rob

Hey Rob,

You're very welcome. I hope you were able to find some info on Tony. From his picture he looked like quite the character. Was that his 'flying hat' that he was wearing? What a sharp dressed man. Add some Snoopy goggles and he would be ready to go.

Ken

_________________
Ken Martell
kenmartell@gmail.com
Thankful to be alive and healthy. Proud to call Tomahawk my hometown.

deltatango,

Tony picked my family up at our pier in the 80's and flew us around Lake Alice. I remember it well!!

His brother Kip still flys and lands on Lake Alice. Maybe other lakes too but I can only speak of Alice. He winters in Florida.

Tony's grandson Paul runs Sherwood Forest campground on Lake Alice. Great Sunday brunches and even better Bloody Marys. I am sure he could fill you in on any questions you may have.

_________________
Life is not measured by the amount of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

rtner Clayton Crunk returned to Tomahawk in 1945 & started a flight instruction business at the old Conservation Dept field what is nowSara Park. I took lessons along with Bob Zietlehack (?), Carl Westbrook, & several others whose names escape me now. I soloed in his J3 cub. about 1946 Tony transferred to the Bradley farm location where the school complex is now. I remember also flying out of the fields in Heaford Junction, now the strawberry farm and also the old Essex Lodge golf course now overgrown with pines.
Jim Likwarz

Hi Jim,

Thanks for getting back to me. I enjoyed that little slice of history. I have a soft spot for long lost air fields. As a boy I remember my Dad stopping by the old conservation dept. field to see what was parked there on any given day. My dad had a stearman for a time and even had some AT-6 time. So cool you soloed in a J3. You mentioned Clayton Crunk circa 1945...I'll assume he learned to fly in the service due to the war??

Rob

Rob: Clay Crunk was a partner at first w/Tony. He had been a B-17 pilot in WW2 and a member of the "Cattapillar" club what I beleive was a society for crew members who had parachuteds out of disabled planes. Sadly I heard Clay had moved toCalifornia. Sadly committed suicide. Allen Bell probably has more knowledge of him Jim L.

Sorry about the bad spelling in above. Jim

Hi Jim,

So interesting about Clay. I wasn't aware of the Caterpillar club until you mentioned it. I've been inside a B-17 and I don't even want to think about what it's like to try to get out of the left seat with full war time flying gear. Was he a business partner with Tony? What type of business did they have? Did Tony fly during the war? I don't know Allen Bell.

I'll be gone for a few weeks (work). Thx again.

Rob

As I recall, Tony Werner taught some sort of math class at THS. I also remember seeing his "sea plane" (as I called it then) flying around Lake Alice in the 50's. And I have some very faint memory of even flying in it when I was very young.
Previously mentioned Allen Bell may have been the (only?)chiropracter in Tomahawk.
Was Tony a WW2 flying veteran? If so, which branch and where?

"Previously mentioned Allen Bell may have been the (only?)chiropracter in Tomahawk."

You must be thinking of Dr. Sparr, he had an office on N. 4th st.

_________________
God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

tacrecon: I believe Tony was a flight instructor in the Army Air Forces during WW2.

The Leader received a message from a family member of Tony... The whole message was sent to the original poster, including further contact information. A shorter version is below...

I believe you are correct Old Scout, the chropractor was Dr. Spar. I forget his first name but he had a son, Bill that was in Ken M's class, 1964 at THS.

I forget what Allen Bell did, maybe worked at the mill? He had a son, Lance, that was in the same class as Bill Spar. Allen, I believe, was a really serious amature ornithologist (bird watcher) if memory serves be right. I want to say he worte and published a book on birds. But I'm not sure my memory has that right or not.

I believe Don Hendricks, 7-8th grade science teacher in the '60's, was also a serious ornithologist.

I knew Tony quite well. He lived on the corner across from the high school. In addition to his hangar under his house, he built a metal hangar out at the new airport. His son, Kip built the Sherwood resort on Lake Alice. Joh C Sparr was the chiropractor mentioned. His office was located on N 4th street and he lived on a lake north of town off highway 91 (highway name has changed since I lived there. Alan Bell did not work at the mill. He weorked as a pharmacy tech at Peterson's Rexall drug store, later worked for Bill Piehl, who owned Raymond Lumber company. He later worked as a carpenter with one of the Zuickers who lived in Harrison. Alan was a bomber pilot during WW2. Tony was a pilot instructor. I, too, soloed in a J3 cub, but it was not Tony's. Barry Myers

I would like to thank everyone again for responding to my initial request for information regarding Tony Werner. This morning I found an interesting little blurb on a website I was researching and would like to cast it out there and see it I get any bites. The website has to do with old and abandoned airfields across our country and the history behind them. Paul Freeman runs the website and includes some history about the old Tomahawk Airport which was at one time called the Forest Protection Airfield. In the write up there is a reference from a 1948 sectional chart as to “another airport just across town to the east called Werner”. I was wondering if anyone knows about this small airport. Most likely is was just a grass strip but seeing how Tony and several others recently back from the war were flying in the area, I wonder if there is a connection??

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/WI/Airfields_WI_N.htm

Thanks again! Rob

I could be mistaken but I believe I read in a Tomahawk history document at one time that there used to be a small runway at or near Sara Park and another near the current location of the school.

Hi Kerry. Thank You. Yes, that would be the old Tomahawk/ Forest Protection Airport. My dad would drive by just to see what might be parked on the ramp. The 1948 sectional chart actually shows a strip named Werner as a separate field. Maybe the one by the school you mentioned is the Werner strip?? Oh, by the way, if anyone would like to pass along current information as to what Sara Park consists of regarding buildings, activities, and overall usage, I could use it to pass along to Paul to update his website.
Thanks! Rob

I can give you a few general things about Sara Park, I'm sure others can fill in more.

The building itself has a large room that is used for banquets, etc. Attached to that is an indoor hockey rink.

On either side of the building are baseball fields. There also used to be (and I'm assuming still is) an area to play soccer. The Hiawatha trail begins at the park and along the water is a beach and a boat landing.

The new dog park is also right by Sara Park.

What did I miss?

You are correct, Tony had a grass strip located where the school is now. They built the High School in 1958 on the area where the runway had been. It was later that he had the float plane under his house.

_________________
God and the Soldier we all adore,
In times of trouble and then no more
when war is over and all things righted
God is forgotten, the old soldier Slighted.

Kerry, Old Scout, thanks for the information. I appreciate the help!
Rob