James Schramm – Cmdr. Schramm was without a doubt the most outspoken, outlandish, hardest working, most often present, very spiritual and uplifting — and at the same time seemingly crazy-lovable.  He would attempt more challenging and dramatic feats of courage and mindlessness.  And somehow, he came out on top most of the time.  We were dismantling a large rambling hunting (somewhat deserted) lodge beside the lake where the Conference dining hall now stands to begin the new construction.  We were trying to make it fall (safely) so the pieces could be hauled away.  With all our efforts to make it flatten…it just wouldn’t.  Schramm laid a couple of timbers just so…and drove the tractor up on the roof just laughing at us sissies unwilling to agree with him.  It fell alright.  Schramm scrambled out of the crash rumpled but unhurt.  Not so the tractor.  After it was repaired and clearing campsites at what is now Camp Lone Eagle you could hear shouts…NO, NO that tractor won’t go in there…laughing and driving wildly he put it thru there…and everywhere else he wanted.

He was a very unique individual, he gave so much, he accomplished so much, he was into everything. ‘Bull-in-a-china-shop’ can’t begin to define this man, who was loved by man and boy alike.  He would set up his Tipi at schools, and quite frankly, take over the class, teaching them all about Royal Rangers and FCF.  He even had students making (his design) coffee cups – one of the most cherished items of memorabilia in this ministry.  We only know of a very, very few remaining.

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