We’re doing something today we’ve only done once before here at this airport. For those here who knew Gary Marcks, he was the force behind the airport putting up a building not only for our equipment that keeps the airport mowed & groomed, but to also have a shop to work on what we call our toys. Until then, everything was kept and worked on in this hangar. After Gary passed away, there was a movement underfoot to name the airport shop after him which we did last year at our Fly-in Appreciation Banquet. That is the story of why Gary’s name is on the west side of the building and facing our main driveway onto the property.

In a way and under very different circumstances leads us to today.

Brian Polsin. For those that knew him, Brian ‘The Brain’ Polsin. Son, brother, iron worker, friend and pilot here at Shiocton. And instigator of, for many years, the Polsin Pig roast. Some of you probably spent a night here a time or two on Pig Roast weekend because of the moonshine. Brian owned a Cessna 172 along with his dad ‘Broadway’ Bob Polsin. Brian probably gave many of you plane rides every year and you never knew who he was. Many folks probably remember the plane, white with a red and black stripe. Doesn’t ring a bell? It had a crushed red velour interior and was known to those of us here at the airport as the ‘Flying Whorehouse.’

Brian passed away in 2004. He went to a Brewer’s game with friends and didn’t wake up the next morning. That planted a seed and in June of 2005, Broadway, Gerald Riehl (anyone here remember Chickenman?) and Mark Johnson and Jeff Puls and a few others who’s names have receded into history, spent a couple of weeks working on the framework of the sign which you see alongside HWY 54, and probably drive past every day and never give it a second thought. The frame of the sign was built here on the property and Jeff and myself with a tractor on each end carried the frame to where it would replace the original airport sign. Gerald was in charge of the holes & concrete and believe it or not but there are 13 yards of concrete in the ground under that sign. The sign panels were put on and the entire sign was lifted into place with a crane. Storms have come & gone. Sign panels have blown off and been replaced. The storm that came through here on Fly-in weekend of 2019 never left a mark on the frame of that sign. The frame of that sign is rock solid as was Brian.

There is a story I’ve often heard but have never been able to verify, but I assume is true. When someone here at the airport passes away and if the weather and conditions allow, and if we have the bodies to do so, we’ll send a couple of planes to fly over the cemetery during the internment service. The story I’ve often heard was of a father and his young son at the cemetery during Brian’s service when our planes flew over. The son said to his father that Brian must have been an important person to have planes fly over during the service.

After 19 years of mowing around, driving past and talking about it, the time has come to put Brian’s name on that sign. This plaque will be attached to the frame and the sign will henceforth be known as the Brian Polsin memorial sign. Now, every time when one drives past the airport, you’ll know the story of the person and the circumstances, and of how and why that sign was put into place.