It Happened in Crawford County: Tom Schulze has a knack for repairing things

Tom Schulze is the son of Richard and Lois Schimpf Schulze. He has one sister, Diane (Richard) Bonin of Defiance. Tom graduated from Buckeye Central High School in 1967. He liked science, definitely not English, and a favorite was summer break.

The Schimpf family owned a generational farm, which is now owned by Tom's sister and family. Tom enjoyed working on the family’s grain farm, feeding animals and repairing equipment ? everything a young farmer boy needed to do.

He worked on farm equipment and autos after graduation until he went to auto mechanic’s school in Columbus for a year. In 1968, two big events happened. First, Tom met Linda Mast on a blind date in Mansfield. She was a senior at Lucas High School, and by the time Tom finished his schooling in Columbus they were engaged. They married in December 1969.

Second, Tom was drafted into the United States Army, sent to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, for basic training then stationed at Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he was trained to be a mechanic, working on tanks. He operated a vehicle tank recovery (VTR) ? basically a wrecker for tanks. He spent most of his service time at Fort Carson, except for a few weeks at Ft. Knox where he trained on hydraulic turrets.

Tom returned to Colorado. He was drafted for only two years so there wasn’t time to send him to serve elsewhere, so he got an “early out.” The army wanted him to re-enlist, but he was ready to get back home to Chatfield.

He was a mechanic at heart, and then came the planes

Tom and Linda rented a house in Chatfield, and he went back to his old job at the Ankney’s Gulf Station in New Washington where he repaired autos. Richard Klink, the local Gulf Oil distributor, eventually hired Tom to run the old Gulf Station across from the underpasses on East Mansfield Street in Bucyrus. While Tom repaired cars, Linda helped pump gas, manage the business and cared for their first child, Sarah, in the station office.

Also, during this time, Tom’s dad bought another farm near Chatfield, and Tom and Linda built a house there where they still reside. Tom realized he didn’t enjoy running a business, so he took a mechanic job at Krauslock Olds and Cadillac and a few years later worked for Schott Brothers, both in Bucyrus.

Tom has always loved planes. He made models that hung in his room. He built others with gas engines he enjoyed flying. He learned the State of Ohio provided benefits for veterans. He realized this was his way to get a pilot’s license since he served in the Vietnam era. He started learning how to fly at Heck’s Flying Service at the Bucyrus airport.

After being licensed, he continued on with VA benefits getting his commercial and instrument rating at the Galion Airport. Tom’s father decided to get his pilot’s license, and he also bought an Aeronca Champ from Kermit Kibler. They had a great time flying around the farms.

Working at Marion Airport and restoring a Mercury Monterey

Tom also wanted to work on planes and get an aircraft mechanic’s license. WWII vet Ralph Moore from Upper Sandusky let him work on planes under his guidance and that of Rick Horning until he got in the required time and experience needed for the FAA. Tom also attended "cram class” to get an airframe and powerplant (A&P) license in Nashville, Tennessee.

At the time, Tom was still working at Schott Brothers. But once he got that new license, he worked at the Marion Airport. His big break happened when he was hired by Brad Newman, owner of Tiffin Aire. He got totally new, practical experience there by working on turbine engines and other complex aircraft. Tom retired from Tiffin Aire in 2016.

While working under Ralph, Tom bought a "basket case" plane that was in pieces. He hauled it home in a trailer and restored it over a period of six years. He and Linda have enjoyed many years of flying it all over the country, including New York, Texas, Oregon and Alaska. Their grandson is learning to fly it now.

Annual God & Country Car show is Aug. 10

Tom’s classic car is another part of this story ? a 1953 Mercury Monterey. It’s the last year for the Ford Flathead V8. One of the main reasons he wanted it was because of the standard shift on the column. He bought the car from Aichholz in New Washington. Tom drove it for nearly six years then decided to restore it. It’s taken three years so far, and he hopes to have it done by spring 2025. He is doing a mild custom so it will look mostly like the original.

During COVID, many car shows were cancelled, so Tom and Linda presented the possibility of having a car show at their Chatfield Evangelical Pietist Church as an opportunity to share Christ with the community. It wasn’t a conflict with COVID rules, being outside, and so it began.

There fifth year for the God & Country Car Show will be Aug. 10. It starts at 9 a.m. and ends with the awards presentation at 3. Registration is free. There will be food, live music and kid’s activities. Donations from the guests will support the Crawford County LifeWise Academy.

Go online for more of Mary Fox’s stories and photos on bucyrustelegraphforum.com. If you are interested in sharing a story, write Mary Fox, 931 Marion Road, Bucyrus, OH 44820 or email [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Tom Schulze of Chatfield finds joy in mechanics of making things work