Story W


Emeritus nursing professor overcomes a childhood tragedy


by Jeff Samoray photos by Cara Jones


esley Miner cursed as he approached the Land O’ Lakes (Wisc.) Airport, desperately trying to find the runway through the impending thunderstorm, ground fog and failing


evening light. Miner’s passengers aboard the single- engine Piper Comanche included his wife Elsie, their young children Barbara and Wes, and 18-year-old nephew Richard. What began a few hours beforehand as an impromptu


northern Wisconsin weekend getaway from suburban Chicago on that August evening in 1959 suddenly turned tragic. After failing to see the runway clearly on the first


approach, Miner circled the small town and dropped the plane’s altitude from 500 to 150 feet. A sudden tailwind pushed the small plane toward the runway as it made its final approach, forcing Miner to make a sharp banking turn. He held the cockpit controls tightly. There was one shot to land safely.


Barbara Scheffer with granddaughters Penelope and Cassandra. 22 Eastern | SPRING 2014 22 Eastern | SPRING 2014


A Survivor


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