Three generations of the Denise and Terry Schneekloth family will participate in the upcoming Shades of the Past weekend activities.

The Schneekloths have been Shades of the Past members for eight years. Denise’s daughter, Nicole Brewers, sits on the Shades of the Past board, and Denise’s mother, Carol Voss, from Lake Park, Iowa, joined this year.

They’ll be showcasing a 1965 Ford Mustang, owned by Voss. The vehicle was purchased by the Schneekloths three years ago, and, after Terry made some improvements, it was sold to Voss, who has always liked Mustangs.

“She owns a red 2019 Mustang,” Denise said of her mother. “When she found out that we were Shades of the Past members, she commented that she always wanted a 1965 red Mustang. When this one was for sale, it was something we just had to have.”

The car was in good shape when they purchased it from the family of the late Lowell McDaniel, an early member of the club.

Terry did some work to the vehicle — he replaced some seals to take care of oil leaks, added air conditioning, power brakes and power steering, and restored the interior. “Just to make it more comfortable for her to drive,” he said.

“I’ve just always liked Mustangs. My last four cars have been Mustangs,” said Voss. “It’s not a family car, so when the kids were all gone, I decided to buy my first, in 2010,” she said.

“I’ve had my current one for five years and it’s the best one I’ve had, it drives and handles nice,” she said. “I put studded snow tires on it in the winter.”

Denise, Terry and Nicole, cumulatively, own several cars, including a 1931 Model A; 1937 Chevy Master Deluxe; 1950 GMC pickup; 1955 Kaiser Manhattan; 1974 Chevy Nova SS; and a 1977 Chevy Monte Carlo. The Nova, said Denise, “was the first car my parents bought new; I took my driver’s license test in it.”

During the driving season they are kept in the garages of the Schneekloths, and Brewers. They are put in storage in the winter, said Terry, so the garages can be used more as, well, garages.

Nicole Brewers became interested in classic cars when she bought a Model A for Terry 10 years ago. He had previously restored one with his brother, and Schneekloth and Brewers spent many hours together working on the Model A. “That started the bad habit of buying cars,” said Brewers with a chuckle.

The Schneekloths and Brewers are active Shades of the Past club members. “It’s a fun group, it’s a passion we share with others in the club,” said Denise.

“There’s a lot to do together,” said Brewers, who is in charge of the Shades of the Past weekend registration. “We expect at least 300 cars to register. That was the number last year,” she said. This year the Minnesota Street Rod Association will be bringing cars to the the Shades of the Past event for a “voting event,” and that fact, said Brewers, “should get us more registrations.”

Their ’65 Mustang is one of two cars and one motorcycle pictured on this year’s award plaques. Club members are not eligible for individual awards, but do bring their vehicles out to Running’s to display, and participate in the traditional Friday cruise through town.

The Friday night cruiser will take place May 31, and the car show is June 1.

It’s safe to say that Voss, the Schneekloths and Brewers are the first three-generation family to be club members. As Denise says, “It’s a family affair.”

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