ENQUIRER Summer of 1999
Editor Allard Gone...But Not Far!
By Jean Stenstrom Eidsvold
Staff Writer
The illustrious editor and originator of this scandal sheet has
handed over his duties. After nine editions spanning 10 years, he wishes to retire. He has
kept us connected through this newsletter with humor and originality, and we as a class
cannot thank him enough for all he has done!
While we have "endured" endless pictures of Noel and
Hearn on their "up North" camping adventures, we have only ourselves to blame
for not sending him more material! Many have written to say how much they have
enjoyed these newsletters, and it has been a wonderful way to gather your changes of
address in preparation for the next reunion. (It has been pure pleasure for me to become a
better friend of Noel and his family in the process!)
Noel has nothing else to do you say-well, a chat with his wife
Mary revealed just a few of the things that keep this terrific guy busy. It starts with a
full-time job for Norwest Graphic Services and a home-based business, Decals and Data
Plates, for antique aircraft restorers, etc.
Then, he's an officer of Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame and a voting member of the
National Aviation Hall of Fame organization. He holds memberships in the Planetary
Society, the Minnesota Chapter of the Quiet Bird Men, OX5s (aircraft of WW2'), two
Chapters of the Antiques Division of Experimental Aircraft Association, the Lindbergh
Society, and Minnesota Fieros Forever. He is a consultant for the Metropolitan Airports
Commission and Aeronautics Division of MN DOT, and is the project manager of the
restoration and rebuilding of the replica of the "Spirit of St. Louis," which
will soon hang once again at the Mpls-St. Paul Airport. He is a guest speaker all around
Minnesota on aviation history and promotes aviation in general. He owns his own plane
which he restored, and has had a private pilot's license since 1965. He has written
two books: Speed, a biography of Minnesota aviator, Speed Holman, and Minnesota
History of Aviation: 1845-1947, which took 25 years of research.
Around his home base, he's a citizen representative for the Mayor's Sounding
Board for the city of Chaska, and the chairman of his church's Men's Club. Noel and Mary
have four children and four grandchildren. They also have care duties for their parents
and are avid campers.
We will not let him get far from our reunion committees: he knows how much we need him!
Thank goodness for his sincere desire to maintain ties to past and present friends. Thanks
from all of us, Noel, for all of your years of service to the Class of '57.
Noel takes a glance back
in time before
taking off for new adventure.