James Scholl takes some of his great-grandkids on a cruise down memory lane in the business vehicle he drove several decades ago. Pictured from left are Collin Jordan, Caden Sporhase, Kinley Sporhase, McKenna Heldenbrand, Bodie Finley and Scholl.
James Scholl, pictured in center, talks with Ragan Simpich, who discovered a Scholl Oil & Implement sign while restoring a 1948 Jeep Willys-Overland. The vehicle made its way back to Scholl for his 95th birthday July 4 with the help of granddaughter Michelle Finley, at left, and other family members.
Decades after this 1948 Jeep Willys-Overland was used by the Scholl business, a chance sighting on Facebook paved the way for it to come back to Holyoke once again. The Scholl Oil & Implement sign was discovered during its recent restoration in Fountain.
A cruise down memory lane
Not many people get a vehicle on their 95th birthday, but James Scholl is a unique man whose family found a unique way to help him celebrate.
On Sunday, July 4, James’ 95th birthday, the family gathered at the Scholl Oil & Transportation office in Holyoke to celebrate. Little did James know that rolling up shortly would be his vehicle from 70 years ago with grandson Garrett Sporhase at the wheel and granddaughter Michelle Finley and great-granddaughter Kinley Sporhase as passengers while the rest of the family watched.
The vehicle was a 1948 Jeep Willys-Overland that James drove in the family business years ago. In fact, it still has the original company name on it — Scholl Oil & Implement.
A little reminiscing took place as James remembered using the Jeep as his delivery wagon to their station in Haigler, Nebraska.
Then it was time for James to meet the Jeep sellers Ragan and Cora Simpich and for the family to gather for photos.
What will happen with the Jeep now is yet to be determined, but the family is thrilled to have such an amazing piece of family history back in Holyoke.
The Scholl Oil business was started in 1932 by James’ father, Jake Scholl, and it continues to be family-run with family members James Scholl, Arlan Scholl, Julie Wiebke, Garrett Sporhase and Matt Jordan. As the business expanded, the name was changed to Scholl Oil & Transportation, which is how it is known today.
The story of the vehicle has a uniqueness that the family believes was a gift from God. It all started on May 21, when James’ great-granddaughter McKenna Heldenbrand sent an email to her mom, Michelle Finley, regarding a Facebook post.
The owner of the Jeep, Ragan Simpich of Fountain, posted a picture of the tailgate on a Facebook group page he belonged to. He was excited to show what he had found while restoring the Jeep. When removing a layer of paint, he discovered the sign “Scholl Oil & Implement” on the back.
As any good story goes, that Facebook page — Willys Jeep Trucks, Wagons, Jeepsters, CJ2A’s and FC’s Gone Wild — had a local follower, Glen McCallum. Add to that the advantage of small-town life, where everyone knows everyone. Glen shared the post to his own Facebook page, which allowed McKenna to see it.
Once Michelle and her husband Matt saw it, there was no doubt that it needed to come back to the family. Matt was able to speak with Ragan, and everything just started coming together.
The history of the Jeep after it left the Scholls is unknown until it ended up in a junkyard in Colorado Springs. The junkyard was closing down permanently when Ragan found the Jeep and purchased it. He thought it looked good enough to restore, and he should know, since he has restored around 144 vehicles.
Ragan, a retired pastor, felt this was divine intervention as well and was kind enough to sell the vehicle to the Finleys to help it get back to the family. Ragan and his wife, Cora, even offered to deliver the vehicle to Holyoke and be part of the July 4 birthday celebration.
Family members who were able to celebrate James’ birthday were wife Margaret; son Arlan Scholl and wife Laurie; granddaughter Leslie Jordan and husband Matt and children Lucas, Collin and Tyler; daughter Julie Wiebke and husband Ivan; granddaughter Michelle Finley and children McKenna and Bodie; and grandson Garrett Sporhase and wife Julie and children Caden and Kinley; along with guests and friends Gade Groshans, Ragan and Cora Simpich, Elizabeth and Jaxson Hutches, and Kai Siep.