The Spirit of Wisconsin

WWII hero Eddie Lamken’s 2016 Dream Flight at Stevens Point Municipal Airport was life-changing for him and his children, Dave Lamken, Debbie Spees, and Diane Kohn.

“Eddie climbed out of the cockpit and down the wing and stepladder with little assistance. Standing with his cane, he was so happy that he started to cry. We had the wheelchair there, so he sat down and spoke with the newspapers, did TV interviews, and remarked that he was overwhelmed by getting to fly over his boyhood farm. Eddie’s attitude had changed, and he looked forward to living again.”

The experience inspired the Lamken family and the Stevens Point/Waupaca communities to raise over $125,000 for Dream Flights to purchase and restore the Spirit of Wisconsin, a 1943 Stearman biplane once used to train military aviators at the Minneapolis Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station during World War II. 

On June 19, 2019, Dream Flights presented the Spirit of Wisconsin’s inaugural Dream Flight to Eddie Lamken. This flight launched Dream Flights’ 8-city Spirit of Wisconsin Dedication Tour. Though Eddie passed away on Aug. 29, 2020, in Stevens Point, Wis., his memory lives on forever in the hearts of his family and friends and the magic of Dream Flights.