Family Said A Cherokee 180 Was His 'Dream Airplane'

Flight instructor and pastor James Poelman, who was fatally injured last week in a midair collision over the Big Susitna River in Alaska, was laid to rest Monday in the cockpit of an aircraft his family said was his "dream airplane."

The cockpit section of a blue and white Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee was donated for the interment by the Alaska Aircraft Salvage Yard in Palmer, according to his wife Lisa Poelman. While James Poelman never had an opportunity to fly a Cherokee 180, his family made sure that the cockpit of the airplane was where he would be laid to rest.

Television Station KTUU reports that Lisa Poelman said her husband "loved to fly" and though everyone should learn to pilot an airplane. But she also said that years ago, he told her not to spend a lot of money on his funeral when his time came. He told her to "Put me in a sleeping bag and throw me in the backyard."

They did put his body in a sleeping bag, but then it was placed in the cockpit of the airplane. He was buried right across from the airport in Palmer where he did his flight instruction.

The family said that they intend to use the tail of the airplane as a headstone for the grave in memory of a man who died doing what he loved.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original report