2011 Hardin County - Edward & Ione Ziesman

A farm boy and a city girl, Edward and Ione Ziesman, have been dedicated to Hardin County 4-H since there first daughter joined the Pleasant Peppy Teens 4-H Club in 1970.  For fourteen years many girls learned the fundamentals of sewing, food and nutrition, home improvement, and how to give a presentation under Ione’s guidance.  Club members would work hard all year and then in August be rewarded for their hard work with an overnight trip.  This was a highlight for the members, as well as for Ione and Edward.  They would travel to historic Iowa spots, always mixing learning with fun.  When the club traveled out of state, Edward would drive a school bus so the whole club could ride together.  Ione served on the Youth Development Committee from 1988-1992 and was a fair judge assistant for many years.

After Ione retired from being a club leader, Edward and Ione took over as managers of the 4-H Food Stand at the Hardin County Fair.  They took this role seriously and helped contribute to the very successful stand that we still have today. 

Edward and Ione continue to be active 4-H volunteers.  They give support to their daughters as leaders, to their grandchildren and friends as members, to the newly formed Eldora Eagles 4-H Club, to the CCC POW renovation campaign, and you will find them during the Hardin County Fair supporting the various activities and eating at the 4-H Food Stand all through the week.
  
All of their daughters were 9 year members of the Pleasant Peppy Teens 4-H Club.  All seven have been or still are 4-H leaders, project leaders or volunteers.  All seven credit their years in 4-H as beneficial in giving them skills that have helped them throughout their life.  Of the seven; five have careers in the teaching field, one is in the agriculture service field, and one is in the entertainment industry.  They have 12 grandchildren who have been active in the 4-H program.  They have 3 great grandchildren who have the potential to be great 4-H members someday!

When Edward & Ione retired from farming, it gave them 24 hours per day to volunteer.  Edward serves on the Board of Directors and volunteers “full time” at the Hardin County Farm Museum in Eldora.  Ione helps out at the Farm Museum too, along with her work at the Hardin County Food Pantry, and Fellowship Meals.  They are both active members at St Paul Lutheran Church in Eldora, serving in numerous positions and on committees through the years.  They continue to show others, through hours of volunteer service, what it means to give back to a community.

Edward and Ione expected their daughters to participate in 4-H and learn valuable lifelong skills.  They instilled a work ethic that brought out the best in their family and what was needed to succeed in life and passed on the importance of volunteerism.  4-H wasn’t a choice, it was expected; it was a way of life for this family.