Stearnie's BushCaddy
From: idahoharry@gmail.com
Sternie is an active member of the JAC Hangar--The most active guy I have ever known for his age--90+ and He is just as sharp upstairs now as He wwas when I first met him some 10-15 years ago.
For those of you who have visited us in Jackson/Wilson … Clarence Stearns is a local legend … He owned and ran the Wilson Store, or "Stearnie's" for longer than I can remember … and built a little log cabin next door for his pet project. Stearnie was a B-17 pilot, who spent a good part of the war in a German concentration camp … and when he returned to Wilson he was determined he would fly again … so started building a homebuilt amphibian in the cabin next to his store … you'd see the light burning in the cabin every night, all winter, as he struggled to stay ahead of the homebuilt company's plan changes … and then he and his wife Dodie, would take off for their cabin in Saskatchewan … where'd they'd spend all summer on a a lake with only one other cabin … taking their canoes on two-week trips into the wilderness … just Stearnie and Dodie … in their 70's .. and then 80's … and then come home and try to catch up on building that little amphibian.
Well, a few years ago Stearnie decided that if he was ever going to take flight again, he'd better look for a plane that was a little closer to flying … and the 'rest of the story' is well described on the website below …
Stearnie, now 90, and Dodie will be taking the BushCaddy back to Canada to Lake Ithingo again this Summer … If you're flying something on floats south of Lake Athabaska, stop by 55-60N 107-33W and look for the little cabin in the crook of the lake … If the Stearns are out canoeing, leave a note .. like we did a couple of summers ago (another story!) …
Be sure to click on the photos to get a good look at that great plane .. and Stearnie's broad smile!!
Rich
