2011 Des Moines County - Pat Darbyshire

The recipient of this year’s induction into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame has a 4-H and fair background that expands over many decades. Her 4-H career started as a member of the Yarmouth Hawkeye Sisters 4-H Club where she exhibited in clothing, food and nutrition, home economics, and the livestock division, just to name a few.

She graduated from Yarmouth High School in 1959, went on to earn her Reg-istered nurse degree from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines, and returned to southeast Iowa to pursue her career, marry her high school sweetheart, and start a family.

Using her 4-H background, knowledge, and her passion for her children to follow that path, she helped to form the North Corner Cloverettes 4-H Club in Yarmouth, when her daughter’s were old enough to join, as well as support her son in the Pleasant Grove Rockets 4-H Club.  From there, her blood ran green for over 40 years. Whether as a 4-H parent, 4-H leader, committee member, or fair board member, come July and August you always knew where to find her.

She was elected the first female president of the Des Moines County Fair Board, a position she held for four of her twenty-eight years as a fair board member.  For twenty-five of those years, she could be found every Thursday, in the Exhibit Hall, registering exhibits in the Open Home Economics, Photography, Horticulture, and Flower divisions of the fair.

She was in charge of the Des Moines County Fair Staff for twenty years and according to her, “never really had any problems with ‘her kids.’” You knew if Pat gave you “the look” you were in trouble and normally you, as that fair staff member, only got “the look” once!  She introduced and implemented the Ugly Cake Contest and Pat’s games, two events that everyone, especially the kids, seemed to enjoy.

She is the mother of three, grandmother of eleven, and great-grandmother of four, all who have been involved in 4-H if old enough to join. She is their biggest supporter and fan. She is always ringside with words of encouragement and praise and there is always a loving shoulder to cry on come sale day.

It is our pleasure to announce that this year’s induction into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame, from Des Moines County, is Pat Darbyshire.