Mother, son purchase travel firm
Staff writer
Dan Peterson of Burdick has sold his Heartland Travel bus tour business to fellow Burdick resident Lynley Remy and her son, Tye Remy.
“I’m so happy they can carry on the business Linda and I started 20 years ago,” he said. “They will do a great job.” Peterson’s wife, Linda, died in September 2020.
Lynley was bubbling over with enthusiasm as she talked about the venture.
“It’s a business that is well thought of and successful,” she said.
She and Tye have been teachers and have traveled a lot together. Lynley has traveled the Santa Fe Trail with a busload of fifth and sixth graders who camped out at night during a 12-day event.
“It was a cool opportunity,” she said, “and I always thought it would be great to take busloads of people to places of interest.”
Tye was just starting his second year as a social studies teacher at Centre this fall when the two found out Heartland Travel was for sale. He quit his job and began planning for the transfer.
“We decided this is what we wanted to do,” Lynley said.
They traveled to Branson with Peterson on his final tour to see how things were done. Peterson’s partner, Connie Johnson, helped them learn the ropes.
Although the transfer won’t be official until Jan. 1, the two already have planned six trips for 2023, including two 3-day trips and several longer ones. Their first trip will be March 24 and 25 to Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Peterson praised Johnson for helping him get to 20 years. When they returned from the Branson trip Sunday, he gave her a bouquet of flowers and thanked her for the two years she had partnered with him after his wife died.
Peterson said he was ok with turning the business over to the Remys.
“The people were wonderful,” he said. “I think I got at least 15 hugs. It made me feel good.”
He also said he was thankful his friend Gene Winkler of Marion, filled in three different times when Linda couldn’t go.
The Branson trip might have been Peterson’s final planned tour but it will not be his last one. He already has signed up to go on at least two of the 2023 trips.
After the new owners got back from Branson, Tye said, “Mother, we are going to be really good at this.”
“I’m with you,” she replied.