Press release
The Bucyrus Historical Society welcomes Bucyrus aviatrix, Peg Ballou, as the speaker for its annual Open Meeting to be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24 in the Parish Hall of St. Paulʼs Lutheran Church, 130 S. Walnut St., Bucyrus.
Peg Ballou, a true Renaissance woman, shares many traits with Lauretta Schimmoler, the first female pilot in Crawford County, and has found it fitting to portray her historically. Peg represented Lauretta at the Bucyrus Cemetery Walk last August, and again brings her to life as she explains the involvement of aviation with air evacuation and transport nursing. This is a considerably expanded version of her 2015 Schimmoler presentation.
While the two never met (Lauretta died in Glendale, CA in 1980 before Peg moved to Bucyrus), they share a lot in common. Both are college educated, pilots, airplane owners and members of The Ninety-Nines, the International Organization of Women Pilots. Both are business women with hatcheries in the Bucyrus area, and leaders in their fields. They both have been active at the Port Bucyrus Crawford County airport.
Lauretta got her Private Pilot License # 15907 in 1935. Peg earned her Private Pilot Certificate in 1974, one week short of her 18th birthday after her mom gave her the choice between piano lessons and flight lessons.
That decision was not hard for Peg to make.
Ms. Schimmoler, an Ohio native from Ft. Jennings, Ohio, moved to the Galion area in the early 1900s. Peg was born in NY State, “imported” to Vermont, then with her husband Sam finally settled in Ohio in 1984. While Lauretta was not a nurse herself, she foresaw the need for prompt medical care by First Responders, and was called “the Mother of Aviation” and “the Billy Mitchell of the Air Force.” Peg shares that interest as a graduate from Hartwick College in Oneonta NY with a BS in Nursing.
While Lauretta had no children, Peg has had six, and home educated them all. Three are pilots and two are full time in the aviation business. Others are artists and mothers, or serving in the military. She started the first county homeschool support organization and wrote KONOS curriculum at the high school level for American History and the Renaissance, Reformation and Revolution eras.
The Ballous are purchasing a hangar at Port Bucyrus to create an aviation education center. They have worked with the Young Eagles program, created by the U.S. Experimental Aircraft Association, giving rides to children 8-17, and with Boy Scouts of America for their Aviation Merit Badge. They plan to purchase a simulator for flight training all year long. Peg is also involved with the FAASTeam (FAASafety) which does programs on aviation safety.
For three years Peg edited the national magazine of the professional association the North American Gamebird Association, recently retiring to work on her instrument instructor rating (CFII). She just finished a week of working with the NIFA (National Intercollegiate Flight Association) judging their flight instructor college level competition.
Appropriately the expenses for this yearʼs Open Meeting have been underwritten by relatives of Ms. Schimmoler: Vivian and Robert Schimmoeller and Betty Knott, to honor the 65th wedding anniversary of another relative, Ken Miller and his wife Dorothy of Ottoville, OH.
For an informative, stimulating, and just plain enjoyable evening be sure to be present for this special meeting. Parents, please do bring your school age children. The meeting is free to all. Light refreshments and plenty of time for questions will follow the presentation.