Honoring a snowmobiling pioneer

Members of the Schnee Katzen Snowmobile Club recently honored longtime member Wally Thill by naming a portion of the club’s trail near Waubedonia Park in Fredonia after him. Thill, pictured holding a sign that will mark the new name of the trail, was surrounded by (front row, from left) Randy Jerome, Debbie Sass, John Koehler, Sean Kellar, Brooks Tuerenne, Erin Dunn, (back) and other family members, friends and members of the club, including Mark Nugent, Mike Eichstaedt, Nathan Thill, David Thill, Allison Alexander, Gene Graff, Samantha Thill, Michelle Thill, Paul Thill, Wally’s wife Mary Ann Thill, Jacob Alexander, Ian Dunn, Kelly Dunn, George Tuerenne and Andrew Thill. Wally Thill worked for Mercury Marine when it made its first snowmobiles in 1968, and bought his first machine shortly after that. He joined the Schnee Katzen Snowmobile Club shortly after it was formed in 1967, serving as its president and helping to expand the trail network and promote safety. Thill is a longtime member of the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs who served in a number of positions, including district director and, for almost 55 years, the Ozaukee County director. In 2019, Thill was inducted into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame.    Photo by Sam Arendt