These people all found success at their local State Fair.
It’s State Fair season, a time when people gather to show off their culinary and animal husbandry skills, find a few thrills on the midway, and eat their fill of funnel cake. To celebrate this grand American tradition, we are spotlighting a few folks who took part in their local State Fairs. Here are 11 who, during their lifetimes, found success at the State Fair.
Faye Hood “was an accomplished seamstress and cook, winning the crown of ‘Queen of the Kitchen’ twice at the Oregon State Fair during the 1950s,” according to her obituary in the Statesman Journal. Faye died July 10, 2011 at age 88.
Betty J. Brown “won countless awards,” over the years “including Best Cookies at the Ohio State Fair.” Betty, who also served as a judge of “Arts & Crafts and Baked Goods entries throughout the state,” was 89 when she died July 30, 2011.
Donald Eugene “BoBo” Marsh was a retired data processor and self-taught cake decorator who once placed third in a cake category at the Indiana State Fair. BoBo died July 28, 2011 at age 63,
“Gifted quilter” Maxine Park Foote saw many of her quilts win blue ribbons at the Eastern Idaho State Fair. Maxine was 91 when she died July 22, 2011.
Hazel N. Wyatt, who enjoyed embroidery, “had won numerous ribbons and awards for her work at the Delaware State Fair.” Hazel died July 21, 2011 at age 89.
Woodcarver John T. “Jack” Kiely “had exhibits at many California State Fairs, the Capital Woodcarvers and various shows and fairs throughout Northern California.” Jack, who was 82 when died July 15, 2011, “received countless awards and numerous ‘Best of Show’ along with providing live demonstrations at the local fairs.”
Professor emeritus of the food science and technology department of Ohio State University, John P. “Jack” Kenyon served as “Contest Supervisor for the Ohio State Fair Cheese Competition.” Jack died July 25, 2011 at the age of 79.
Active in the 4-H clubs of Bishop’s Peak and Santa Margarita, California, Robert H. Ioppini “worked the pig rings at the Mid-State Fair for over 37 years” before his death July 12, 2011, at age 78. “He never missed a fair and always helped wherever needed.”
Randy Lynn Davis “won second place in the Iowa State Fair Checker Tournament in August 2006.” Randy died Aug. 1, 2011 at age 55.
A member of the United States Trotting Association, Robert L. Reynolds raced for many years at the Pennsylvania and New York State Fairs. He was 70 when he died July 19, 2011.
And last, but not least, Joe W. Wilson served “as an official of the Tennessee State Fair for 52 years” before his death Aug. 4, 2011, at the age of 89.
This post was contributed by Alana Baranick, a freelance obituary writer. She was the director of the Society of Professional Obituary Writers and chief author of Life on the Death Beat: A Handbook for Obituary Writers before she passed away in 2015.
