2011 Harrison County - Beth Magill

Beth Magill was a 10-year member of the Loveland Angels (Missouri Valley) 4-H Club in Harrison County.  She loved participating in communications at the county fair and her skills usually advanced her to the Iowa State Fair.  Beth enjoyed showing cats and presented county workshops on cats.
 
Beth founded the Missouri Valley Clovers 4-H Club when her first child was old enough to join 4-H.  All her club members were required to do communications, which was quite a challenge for most of the youth.  With her help, most of her 4-H’ers qualified and participated at the Iowa State Fair.  Beth was so proud of them and their accomplishments. 

Beth’s calling was children with special needs. She operated a daycare for special-needs youth for many years until she became a para-professional at Rue Elementary School (Council Bluffs) where she continued to work with special-needs youth!

At the end of May 2010, Beth was diagnosed with cancer.  But that didn’t stop her and her club!  Chemotherapy sessions were scheduled around the 4-H events.  Beth even made it to the county fair every day to watch “her kids”.  Her dedication and talents led to all the other club leaders and youth in the county to lookup to Beth.  In fact, as her health declined, they all pooled together to make sure Beth’s club had everything they needed and helped in so many ways.  In August, Beth even went to the State Fair to watch three of her club members participate in communication events. 

This last year, the Clovers joined with our other Missouri Valley club, the Dazzlers, because Beth was not physically able to do all  the things required of a leader.  Beth was given her 10-year 4-H leader pin and told about her selection to the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame while in the hospital; it meant the world to her. 

On May 5, all of us in the 4-H family lost Beth to cancer.  She is now one of our angels that takes care of Harrison County 4-H and watches over the Harrison County Fair – her second home.  We love you Beth!