Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame Inductees - Iowa 4-H Foundation

Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame Inductees

Posted in: audubon

2022 Audubon County Brian & Molly Klocke

Posted on 08/22/2022 at 12:07 PM
Brian and Molly Klocke were both active on their family farms as children, and they have remained dedicated to the agriculture industry. They are the owners of Klocke Ag, a family-owned century farm located in northern Audubon County. Brian and Molly are active volunteers in the Audubon community. Molly steps in...

2021 Audubon County Julie McVay

Posted on 08/23/2021 at 10:22 AM
Julie has called Audubon County “home” nearly her entire life. Her passion for “making the best better” shows in her involvement in the lives of young people in our county. Julie began her 4-H career as a nine year member of the Cameron Homemakers 4-H Club in Audubon County. Throughout...

2019 Audubon County: Jeanne and Bruce Nelson

Posted on 08/19/2019 at 11:23 AM
Jeanne and the late Bruce Nelson, lifelong Audubon County residents, raised their five children as active 4-H members. Bruce lived on a farm southwest of Hamlin where his family milked cows and later raised hogs.​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Jeanne lived on a dairy farm southwest of ​​​​​​​Audubon. After Bruce and Jeanne were married...
Posted in Audubon, 2019 |

2018 Audubon County: Wayne Hansen

Posted on 08/21/2018 at 12:31 PM
4-H and livestock have been important in Wayne Hansen’s life for a long time. Wayne was a member of the Sharon Sharp Shooters 4-H club in Audubon County and enjoyed raising and showing pigs and cattle. He used the money from the sale of a pig to buy his first...
Posted in Audubon, 2018 |

2016 Audubon County Greg Jensen

Posted on 08/26/2016 at 10:04 AM
Greg became a Greely Tip Top member in 1963. During his experience in 4-H and FFA Greg knew for sure that agriculture, and especially, livestock would be important in his life. One great memory was in ‘63 when his Herefords, Ruff and Reddy, earned a blue ribbon at the Audubon...

2015 Audubon County- Virgil Sorensen

Posted on 08/19/2015 at 10:22 AM
Virgil Sorensen has been a longtime supporter of the Audubon County 4-H Program. His 4-H career began in 1952 when he joined the Hamlin Ribbon Winners 4-H Club and exhibited Brown Swiss Dairy Cattle at the fair. He also participated in plowing contests and many other activities through 4-H....

2014 Audubon County - Ed Ahrendsen

Posted on 08/17/2014 at 4:29 PM
Ed Ahrendsen is a longtime supporter of 4-H, the Audubon County Fair, and the Iowa State Fair. He started his 4-H career in 1938 as a member of the Leaping Leaders. Throughout his 4-H career he helped with many club and county projects, and served on several committees for the Audubon...

2013 Audubon County - Dennis Grimm

Posted on 08/08/2013 at 11:22 AM
The 2013 Hall of Fame recipient is Dennis Grimm of Manning. He has been a longtime advocate for 4-H, FFA and the Audubon County Fair. Graduating high school in 1959 and marrying the love of his life, Sharon, in 1963, this Hall of Fame recipient began farming, raising hogs and...

2012 Audubon County- Dianna Peterson

Posted on 07/31/2012 at 10:38 AM
As told by her daughter: For as long as I can remember, Dianna has been a huge part of Audubon County 4-H. She was a member of the Cameron Future Homemakers. It was very important to her that I become part of the 4-H family, also. At this time, our...

2011 Audubon County - Chris Jensen

Posted on 08/30/2011 at 2:21 PM
Chris Jensen was never a 4-H’er as a youth, but has been a longtime supporter of both 4-H and ISU Extension. She truly believes in the 4-H motto “To make the best, better”, and has demonstrated that over the past 20 years. She lived the 4-H experience through her daughters...

2010 Audubon County - Mary Ottmar

Posted on 04/21/2011 at 2:25 PM
She was also able to participate in IFYE, which is the Iowa Farm Youth Exchange Student program and was able to spend time in the Netherlands because of it. Mary Ottmar was a 4-H’er in Cass County, involved in a variety of activities and projects. She participated in the IFYE...

2009 Audubon County - Gary VanAernam

Posted on 04/19/2011 at 3:02 PM
Gary VanAernam has always enjoyed working with 4-H youth and is a firm believer in what 4-H can do for an individual. He has fallen in love with county fairs and has taken his 4-H experience way beyond the county level. For almost 30 years, he has served on the...

2008 Audubon County - Cheryl Hansen

Posted on 04/19/2011 at 11:42 AM
Cheryl was a long-time 4-H member in Audubon County and has continued her involvement as an adult. Both her children were active in 4-H. Cheryl has been a 4-H leader for 15 years and currently serves on the county youth committee. She coordinates the communications contest at county fair and...

2007 Audubon County - Gale VanAernam

Posted on 04/12/2011 at 11:34 AM
Gale exhibits a tireless commitment to 4-H. Whether he’s nose-printing a calf, contacting auctioneers, hooking up the PA system, moving bleachers, setting up gates, lining up sheep, working with superintendents on show orders, meeting with leaders on rule changes, discussing ways to update livestock classes, or consoling a 4-H’er who...

2006 Audubon County - Sandy Kristensen

Posted on 04/05/2011 at 2:29 PM
Sandy Kristensen truly lives the 4-H Motto “To Make the Best Better”. As a ten year old girl who wanted to show cattle, she had to belong to a ‘boys’ club. Before you could belong to a boys club, you had to belong to a girls club; and since there...

2004 Audubon County - Lucille Wiges

Posted on 03/31/2011 at 12:27 PM
Lucille Wiges, a life-long Audubon County resident, received the 1996 Audubon County Farm Bureau Distinguished Service to Agriculture award. Wiges was also presented the Governors Volunteer Award by Governor Vilsack in 2003. Community service has kept Wiges busy her entire life, whether it be with church, area youth or wherever...

2003 Audubon County - Chester Christensen

Posted on 03/29/2011 at 2:57 PM
Chester “Chet” Christensen has been involved with 4-H for 32 years. As a member of the Rounders/Playboys 4-H Club, Chet exhibited at the Audubon County Fair and received a trip to Kansas City for showing the Champion Guernsey Heifer. As a long-time leader of the Bunkhouse Gang 4-H Club, he...

2002 Audubon County - William Esbeck

Posted on 03/22/2011 at 1:33 PM
William Esbeck was a great contributor to the beginning of 4-H in Audubon County. He started the Baby Beef Club in 1922. He was a leader in 4-H for over 29 years. Through the years of leadership he had one guiding philosophy that “It isn’t the purple ribbon that is...
© 2023 Iowa 4-H Foundation. All Rights Reserved.