Part 1: The Officer's Wife
On the evening of March 17, 1950, the Colonial ranch home on North Edison Street sat quietly on its hill among tall trees. The night had turned chilly after a warm day, dipping into the mid-30s. Inside, the house felt cozy. Two fireplaces filled the rooms with a golden glow. In the family room, a cast recording of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific played on the new RCA Television-Radio-Phonograph. The live-in nursemaid sang along with Nellie Forbush, "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair," as she bathed the baby and got him ready for bed.
While she cleaned up after dinner, her eldest son sat at the table and slowly read aloud from Dick and Jane: "We Play Pretend." She knew he was stalling to avoid going to bed, and yet, she indulged him. He was still upset about being left at home two nights earlier when she and his great-uncle, who had become a father figure to him, had gone out to dinner. She understood how much he missed having his dad around. If she let her mind go there, she’d have to admit that losing her own father still hurt almost more than she could bear.
Georgia shared a close bond with her father, who was a World War I veteran and the president of the lumber company his father founded. She often accompanied him on business trips and at local sporting events.
In the spring of 1939, her fellow students and faculty selected Georgia to be the Queen of the May Day celebrations at Ferry Hall School. She finished her studies and graduated from Ferry Hall School on June 12.
Bergman Girl in Honor Role at Ferry Hall
Miss Georgia May Weidman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Weidman of Bergman, was crowned Queen of the May Day ceremonies at Ferry Hall, Lake Forest, Illinois, yesterday.
The queen, whose identity is unknown to all but the second-year junior college students until the procession is formed for the ceremony, is chosen by popular vote of the students and faculty from the four upper classes of the school. Attractive personal appearance, poise, friendliness, co-operation, and attitude toward her schoolwork are all considered in choosing the Queen. Miss Weidman will graduate from Ferry Hall High School this month and is planning to attend the University of Michigan. The ceremony was held at 3:30 yesterday afternoon.
Georgia maintained an active social life throughout her college years. After graduating from Ferry Hall, she attended Marygrove College and Michigan State. During this period, she attended notable events, including the J-Hop Ball, hosted by the Assumption College junior class at the Prince Edward Hotel in Windsor, Ontario, in April 1940, and the Military Ball at Michigan State on February 28, 1941, where she was accompanied by Cadet Lt. John Twist.
Carl and Lottie's marriage was full of conflict from the beginning. Lottie pursued her music career despite Carl's disapproval, and she did not share his enthusiasm for his primitive Crooked Lake property in Wisconsin.
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Her father had died suddenly less than five months earlier after falling and developing pneumonia—shocking everyone. Her mother took it very hard, but she kept going, teaching her classes and leaning on her friends back home in Bergland for support. In just a few months, after school was out, they would all return to the family home in Empire. She closed her eyes for a moment, willing herself to feel the sand between her toes, and whispered a silent prayer of thanks to her father for arranging his affairs in advance, sparing the family a long settlement process.
Thanks to his careful preparations, she was able to provide uninterrupted care for her youngest son, who was not quite two years old and had been sickly since birth. In addition to the doctors and staff at Walter Reed Hospital, she had hired a live-in nurse, and a housekeeper came during the day. Her uncle and aunt, who lived nearby, occasionally took in her eldest son for weeks, and while she missed him desperately during those times, she knew it was good for him to receive the kind of undivided attention they provided. Something she wasn't always able to give him at home. Her family's support eased the challenge of raising two boys alone.
Although the war had ended, her husband was frequently away, and when home, he spent hours in the garage, which he had turned into a makeshift command center. After WWII, military and economic policies shifted away from emphasizing fighter pilots. To counter this, he organized air shows to boost recruitment and public support, and he lobbied Congress. He also aimed to master in-air refueling, a technique he observed in England.
Yes, last year was stressful, but she hadn't lost sight of how fortunate she was. Despite the heartache, she told her uncle over dinner that week, she truly believed her family would come out the other side stronger.
Her outlook that night at dinner gave no hint at what was to come just two days later.
Around 8 PM, the house was silent. Everyone had gone to bed when a deafening roar shattered the quiet. The nursemaid, startled, spilled her chamomile tea all over her bed jacket and book. She immediately thought of the children. She tossed aside the wet bedding and rushed to check on them, bumping into the eldest boy as she left her room. She took his hand and went into the nursery, where the baby was sleeping soundly. She told the boy to stay there. Then she locked the door from the inside and walked carefully down the hallway to the missus' room. She was shaking and knew she might not be alone in the house. Every step sounded loud in her ears. As she got closer, she smelled the sharp, metallic scent of gunpowder. She pushed the door open and saw the boy’s mother on the bed. Her face was twisted and covered in blood. A gun and some papers were on the floor beside the bed. The nursemaid stood there, stunned. A gasp from the woman made her realize she was still alive.
At that very moment, the oldest boy ran past her into the room, screaming for his mother. Realizing her mistake, the nursemaid picked him up, covered his eyes to shield him from the scene, and quickly carried him into the kitchen. Forgetting there might still be an intruder in the house, she instructed him to call his uncle. Soon, the house, no longer the warm and cozy home it had been earlier, was filled with emergency workers, neighbors, and reporters.
The boy's mother died in the ambulance before she reached the hospital. She was only 28, and to outsiders, it looked like she had everything. Her family and friends were left asking, "How did we get here?"
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Georgia Mae Weidman was born in Bergland, Michigan, on October 21, 1921, to college-educated parents Robert Mitchell Weidman and Tillissa Norconk. Their progressive parenting style exposed Georgia and her brother to a broader world than was typical at the time.
Georgia's grandfather, John Sylvestor Weidman, was one of the wealthiest men in Western Michigan, having built a fortune in the lumber industry before he died in 1919. Although she never met him, he paved the way for her privileged life.
The local newspaper often covered young Georgia's major life events, highlighting her family's prominent social standing. These articles described her childhood experiences, including her lavish ninth birthday party with 50 guests, her notable academic achievements, her success in horseback riding, and her summers spent at Camp Interlochen, an all-girls music and arts camp.
Tillissa Norconk, Georgia's mother and a teacher, had a strong desire to travel that she frequently indulged, taking her children on many trips during their childhood. One memorable trip was to the 1932 Century of Progress exposition in Chicago, a world's fair that highlighted technological innovations and cultural displays from around the world. They often traveled to Empire, Michigan, where Tillissa's family lived; this place would later play a significant role in Georgia's life.
At age 13, Georgia's academic achievements and strong parental support led to her acceptance into Ferry Hall School in Lake Forest, Illinois, in the fall of 1934.
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Bergman Girl in Honor Role at Ferry Hall
Miss Georgia May Weidman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Weidman of Bergman, was crowned Queen of the May Day ceremonies at Ferry Hall, Lake Forest, Illinois, yesterday.
The queen, whose identity is unknown to all but the second-year junior college students until the procession is formed for the ceremony, is chosen by popular vote of the students and faculty from the four upper classes of the school. Attractive personal appearance, poise, friendliness, co-operation, and attitude toward her schoolwork are all considered in choosing the Queen. Miss Weidman will graduate from Ferry Hall High School this month and is planning to attend the University of Michigan. The ceremony was held at 3:30 yesterday afternoon.
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Georgia maintained an active social life throughout her college years. After graduating from Ferry Hall, she attended Marygrove College and Michigan State. During this period, she attended notable events, including the J-Hop Ball, hosted by the Assumption College junior class at the Prince Edward Hotel in Windsor, Ontario, in April 1940, and the Military Ball at Michigan State on February 28, 1941, where she was accompanied by Cadet Lt. John Twist.
Georgia, naturally gifted as a hostess, had an innate ability to bring people together, making them feel welcomed, comfortable, and cared for. She started hosting as a teenager in her family's home in Bergland and continued the tradition at her Detroit residence, frequently opening her doors to friends and family. She was also often celebrated with many parties held in her honor.
During the weekend of November 22, 1941, Georgia traveled to Buffalo, NY, with her college close friend Donette Glaeser. As a sign of hospitality, Dr. Glaeser and his wife hosted a special luncheon in Georgia's honor at the prestigious Wanakah Country Club.
From the local newspaper's perspective, Georgia's future appeared promising. She was a talented young woman ready to take on the world and accomplish great things. Supported by her caring parents, her keen intelligence, and her community’s encouragement, her potential seemed limitless. This optimism was reinforced when she married Army Air Corps Lieutenant David Carl Schilling on January 3, 1942, marking the start of a hopeful new chapter.
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David Carl Schilling was born on December 15, 1918, in Leavenworth, Kansas, to Carl Fielding Schilling and Lottie Lee Henderson. Their lives were documented in local newspapers, though not always in the society pages.
At 15, Carl mishandled a firearm while duck hunting with friends, which led to the injury of another teenager. This incident was reported in October 1904. In 1907, Carl was sent to a military school in Upper Alton, Illinois.
He later went back to finish high school in Leavenworth. During this period, he was part of the Glee Club and performed a solo at his graduation, where his classmate Lottie Henderson also sang a solo. Carl Schilling left Kansas for Ann Arbor after graduating in September 1909. When he returned, he began working for the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Works. In April 1913, he and Lottie Henderson got a marriage license in Yukon, Oklahoma. However, before they could marry, Carl left for an indefinite stay in Chicago the next month.
Lottie Lee Henderson was born in October 1889 in Leaveanworth, Kansas, to William R. Henderson and Mary Johnson. William was a respected community member, and Mary was a published poet and prose writer. The Hendersons raised seven successful children, including three daughters who pursued careers in music and education, a son recognized as a war hero, and another son who became a doctor and hospital director.
While still in their late teens, sisters Mary and Lottie studied classical piano in Austria under Theodor Leschetizky. Upon returning to America, Lottie moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, joined progressive women's organizations, and founded a music school. She often appeared in society pages, both as a performer and a socialite. A 1912 dinner date with concert pianist Franklin Cannon and Tulsa's prominent couple of the day, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Norris, cemented her reputation as a cultured, educated woman with an active social life.
In April 1913, former high school classmates Lottie and Carl Schilling got a marriage license in Yukon, Oklahoma. This location, away from their homes, hints at a secret courtship. However, their plans were delayed, and a month later, they went their separate ways. Carl headed to Chicago, while Lottie visited her sister in Missouri and her father in New Mexico. When she returned to Tulsa, Lottie sold her music school—possibly to please Carl, who didn’t want her to perform or teach after they married. This move worked, as they married that fall in a small ceremony in Leavenworth. Five months later, Mrs. A. J. Schilling hosted a reception to celebrate the newlyweds.
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While still in their late teens, sisters Mary and Lottie studied classical piano in Austria under Theodor Leschetizky. Upon returning to America, Lottie moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, joined progressive women's organizations, and founded a music school. She often appeared in society pages, both as a performer and a socialite. A 1912 dinner date with concert pianist Franklin Cannon and Tulsa's prominent couple of the day, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Norris, cemented her reputation as a cultured, educated woman with an active social life.
The differences in their backgrounds, lifestyles, and rocky start to their relationship foreshadowed their life together. It is to this couple that David Carl Schilling was born, one month after WWI ended.
David attended Marlborough Grade School and Paseo High School in Kansas City, Missouri, graduating with a "C" average. He was a member of the ROTC Battalion and served as president of the Engineers Club.
One of David's closest Boyhood friends in Kansas City was Roy Rhodes, in the same classes at Marlborough grade school and Paseo High School. “To understand Dave, you have needed to know his father, Rhodes said, “A wonderful man, he and my father were close friends. Mr. Schilling was a great horseman. One of the most enthusiastic in this area, and my father used to make saddles and so on for him.”
Rhodes recalled that the Shillings had a large stable behind their home on Wayne Avenue, and when Mr. Schilling saw David's fascination with tools, he installed the shop, complete with equipment. The neighborhood children all knew that when Dave's father saw that one of them was interested in something special, he’d help -- usually indirectly -- even to getting them cowboy outfits or a special kind of handsaw.
Once, David built a car out of two bike frames and an old one-lunger stationary engine from a farm water pump. It made a fearful racket, Rhodes recalled, with the 4-inch piston delivering an unmuffled and intermittent ‘blop-whoosh-whoosh-bloppity’ while the flywheel kept it turning.
Rhodes said, “I was afraid to ride it, but Dave did; he tried anything once.”
Margaret Miles had known David since his childhood, having spent summers at the Wisconsin property with Carl and his young sons. In 1957, she shared her fond memories of those lively days with a reporter.
Arizona Daily Star
Upon returning from Arizona in 1938, Carl filed for divorce. The following year, he was caught up in the federal investigation into Missouri politicians T. J. Pendergast and R. Emmet O'Malley for tax evasion. Federal investigators grew suspicious of Carl after learning he had been paid in $100 bills for selling his house to O'Malley's niece in 1938.
After completing training at Fort Sherman, David attended basic training at Randolph Field and advanced training at Brooks Field, both located in Bexar County, Texas. His mother was present at his graduation on May 12, 1940, at Brooks Field, where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and received his pilot wings. David's first assignments included the 8th Pursuit Group at Langley Field, Virginia, followed by a posting to Mitchel Field, New York.
In December 1940, Carl moved to Tucson, Arizona, with Margaret Miles. This move might have been prompted by his now-public extramarital affair, the resulting divorce, his connections to the "Pendergast Machine," a corrupt political organization that had controlled Kansas City, Missouri, for decades until it was disbanded by federal authorities, and his cowboy fantasies.
In 1941, David, nicknamed "Bullwhip," served as an Army test pilot in Buffalo, New York. His duties involved conducting acceptance and experimental flights for the Airacobra and Tomahawk aircraft and collaborating with Bell Aircraft Corporation. David was one of only nine pilots selected for testing at this facility. Jack Chennault, son of Claire Chennault, who led the Flying Tigers in Burma, was another.
On June 20, 1941, David’s father died in Land O’Lakes, Wisconsin. In the last hours of his life, David paid him a visit.
The body of Carl F Schilling, 51, of Sterling, Illinois, a retired steel broker who died at St Mary's Hospital here Thursday night, was sent last night to Leavenworth, Kansas, where funeral services will be held on Monday. Mr. Schilling was a prominent summer homeowner in the Land o' Lakes territory. Mr. Schilling is survived by two sons, both officers in the United States Army. One son is a lieutenant in the air corps, and the other is a captain in China. The son in the air corps flew to Wisconsin from Washington, D.C., early this week when he was notified of his father's illness. Landing at Land o’Lakes, the son learned that his father underwent an operation in the hospital here last Saturday night. The son drove here to visit his father. When he left Land o’Lakes in his plane, the son flew low over the hospital so his father could hear the plane.
Ironwood Daily Globe
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David attended Marlborough Grade School and Paseo High School in Kansas City, Missouri, graduating with a "C" average. He was a member of the ROTC Battalion and served as president of the Engineers Club.
David's interest in military service sharply contrasted with his father's decision to avoid it. His father had been exempt as a married man and the sole provider, a standard exemption that 43% of registrants received. Despite this, David and his father ultimately shared more similarities than differences.
In a 1957 interview, Roy Rhodes, a childhood friend, offered insights into their relationship.
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Rhodes recalled that the Shillings had a large stable behind their home on Wayne Avenue, and when Mr. Schilling saw David's fascination with tools, he installed the shop, complete with equipment. The neighborhood children all knew that when Dave's father saw that one of them was interested in something special, he’d help -- usually indirectly -- even to getting them cowboy outfits or a special kind of handsaw.
Once, David built a car out of two bike frames and an old one-lunger stationary engine from a farm water pump. It made a fearful racket, Rhodes recalled, with the 4-inch piston delivering an unmuffled and intermittent ‘blop-whoosh-whoosh-bloppity’ while the flywheel kept it turning.
Rhodes said, “I was afraid to ride it, but Dave did; he tried anything once.”
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David enrolled at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. His mother, Lottie, played a key role in encouraging her sons to attend Dartmouth, attracted by its small size and student-to-teacher ratio. David's acceptance was more due to his older brother's strong academic record than his own, and he soon found himself overwhelmed. At the end of his sophomore year, he was placed on academic probation, facing expulsion if his grades did not improve within one semester. Fear of failure pushed David to improve, leading him to switch his major to Geology. He committed himself to his studies, earning a place on the honor roll in his senior year, and graduated from Dartmouth in 1939 with a degree in Geology.
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Carl and Margaret Miles spent the winters of 1938 and 1939 at the Flying V Ranch in Arizona. The Flying V Ranch gave guests a unique chance to live like cowboys for a full season (October 1 to June 1).
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Arizona Daily Star
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On August 9, 1939, David enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Two days later, on August 11, "Mrs. Henderson Schilling of New York City" arrived in Tulsa and opened a music school.
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After completing training at Fort Sherman, David attended basic training at Randolph Field and advanced training at Brooks Field, both located in Bexar County, Texas. His mother was present at his graduation on May 12, 1940, at Brooks Field, where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and received his pilot wings. David's first assignments included the 8th Pursuit Group at Langley Field, Virginia, followed by a posting to Mitchel Field, New York.
In December 1940, Carl moved to Tucson, Arizona, with Margaret Miles. This move might have been prompted by his now-public extramarital affair, the resulting divorce, his connections to the "Pendergast Machine," a corrupt political organization that had controlled Kansas City, Missouri, for decades until it was disbanded by federal authorities, and his cowboy fantasies.
In 1941, David, nicknamed "Bullwhip," served as an Army test pilot in Buffalo, New York. His duties involved conducting acceptance and experimental flights for the Airacobra and Tomahawk aircraft and collaborating with Bell Aircraft Corporation. David was one of only nine pilots selected for testing at this facility. Jack Chennault, son of Claire Chennault, who led the Flying Tigers in Burma, was another.
On June 20, 1941, David’s father died in Land O’Lakes, Wisconsin. In the last hours of his life, David paid him a visit.
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December 7, 1941
The US entered WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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| Georgia on her wedding day (AI refurbished image) |
********** End of Part One ***********
Note to reader:
This narrative draws on over four years of research into David Schilling, Georgia Weidman, their families, and associates. I have consulted hundreds of sources, which will be listed after the final installment to ensure a seamless reading experience.
Readers familiar with John and Charlotte McClure's Follow Me: The Life and Times of David C. Schilling may notice differences in my portrayal of David’s childhood. While their use of David’s personal notes, flight logs, and his son’s recollections is reliable, their research into his parents is limited. They seem to have accepted the information without sufficient scrutiny, leading to a significant misrepresentation of David’s mother, described as "Country-bred Lottie, without a high school education," and an exclusively positive depiction of his father.
I agree with Robert Rhodes: "To understand David, you need to know his father." As the narrative unfolds, readers will likely find this observation accurate.
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