By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

Salem Home resident Tom Schrag was known for his love of fishing, and he spent his final hours at the pond Saturday.

“Just getting out and sitting there with a pole was good enough for him, let alone catching something,” brother Timothy Schrag said.

According to Tim, who lives in Manhattan, his younger brother always enjoyed being out in nature.

“He loved fishing, wildlife, and the outdoors in general,” Tim said.

In Tom’s later years, his health kept him from hunting, but the brothers enjoyed local fishing spots, particularly Marion Reservoir.

“He knew all the hotspots and which bait to use,” Tim said. “It’s a little of an exaggeration, but the fish nearly jumped into the boat and filleted themselves.”

Even with 2019’s frequent rains, he went almost every day and carried his fishing poles tucked into his motorized wheelchair.

In an interview last week, Schrag said he enjoyed the different ponds around Hillsboro, and the one behind the former Alco Discount Store was one of his favorites.

Schrag had also been fishing around Hillsboro May 27 and 29, and required police assistance when his wheelchair got stuck in the mud.

He was discovered dead from natural causes by a Salem Home nurse 5:32 p.m. Saturday at a pond near Hillsboro Sports Complex.

While Tom’s death saddens his brother, Tim was relieved he died peacefully.

“It’s a relief to that somebody else didn’t feel responsible for his passing,” he said.