November 2019
Vern Willan is a good ole boy from the south. He was born in Madison Wisconsin and he is quick to point out that is ‘South Wisconsin’. He stayed there through high school and through mechanic jobs at local service stations where he developed his interest in cars. He and his dad restored or ‘fixed up’ his first Model T during this period. “My dad hated Model T’s because he said he spent 30 years keeping them running.” His father was a mechanic.
Vern went from high school to the Air Force where he was a jet engine mechanic. He says “I fought my way through the war with a wrench”. After the service, using the GI Bill he obtained a pilot’s license and flew for a small regional airline. When that went belly up he went to college and got a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace at the University of Arizona and later finished an MS degree in Mechanical Engineering at University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana.
Vern met Pat, his wife, when he got out of the service. He says “we met in May of 1970 and were married in November 1970.” Obviously, he is a quick worker. Pat and Vern have three children, all girls and they spend a lot of time with them and the grandchildren. He notes that grandchildren are like magnets to grandmothers. Their kids are in Albuquerque, Bloomfield, Colorado and South Carolina.
Vern maintains two 1926 Model T’s. He also has a ’30 Model A he converted to a speedster. Vern said it takes 5 minutes at a service station to fill it up and 30 minutes to answer everyone’s questions. He calls the speedster the Evansville Special because he brought it home in bits and pieces from Evansville. He is currently focusing on a 1938 pickup which he is pleased with except for the air cleaner.
“Pat is fine with me working on cars but she is not too fond of my Harley.” Vern says he was on an early date with Pat riding a Harley. They were going to watch a motorcycle hill climb. The oil tank on the Harley split and covered Pat with oil. When Vern got home and told his dad, his father said “If you can ever get another date with her then marry her!” Vern recalls fondly, “She came back”.
Vern has known Joe Abbin for a long time. Vern spent 30 years with the labs at Sandia. He was very happy at the lab. “Lots of good people and good work”, he said. As you know Vern and Pat traveled a lot until a few years ago. We called Vern our summer member. Unfortunately, Pat needs medical attention here so they spend more time in Albuquerque. Glad Vern is able to be more regular at our meetings. Sounds like a future officer?
