Family, Friends Gather to Honor Daryl Lenz

Daryl Lenz was immortalized on the closing day of AirVenture 2006 when the AeroShell Square building from which he ran aircraft ops year after year was renamed the “Daryl Lenz Center.” His mother Laura, and brothers and sisters attended, as did several hundred of Daryl’s friends.

The former EAA director of aircraft maintenance, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident earlier this year, continued to organize and operate AeroShell Square after leaving EAA’s day-to-day operations to become an aircraft maintenance teacher at Fox Valley Technical College, Oshkosh.

“This is Daryl’s extended family, not just the people he worked with, but people who knew him from all over the country,” said EAA President Tom Poberezny. “We want (his family) to know just how much we loved him, too.”

After the new building sign was unveiled, Poberezny introduced a monument to Daryl consisting of a lone B-17 propeller and inscribed with the words, “In memory of Daryl Lenz - 1958-2006: In grateful appreciation for Daryl’s vision, efforts and dedication in making AeroShell Square a centerpiece of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.”

“As long as there is a convention here, Daryl will be here with us,” Poberezny said.