Posted on September 6, 2012 at 9:42 AM by Global Reach
Derry Pitsenbarger of Dallas County was a member of the Lincoln Workers 4-H Club starting at the age of 10. Exhibiting beef and swine was the main focus of project involvement. He assisted his younger siblings as they exhibited at the Dallas County Fair, Ak-Sar-Ben and the Clay County Fair. 4-H was a family affair at the Pitsenbarger's.
Following high school Derry attended Oklahoma A & M where he participated on the livestock judgiing team, rodeo and was inducted into the Who's Who in Junior Colleges in 1967. During the summers he worked at the Iowa State Fair in the beef department.
Derry's passion for agriculture, rural life and admiration for 4-H and the values and skills the organization taught sparked his interest in being involved at the leadership level. He was a leader of the Lincoln Workers 4-H Club five years and served on the Dallas County Fair Board 36 years including 10 years as president. In addition Derry served on the Association of Iowa Fairs nine years again including a term as president.
Derry and his wife Joyce farm in Dallas County and had three daughters who were all involved in 4-H, exhibiting livestock in numerous shows over the years. Today they support their grandchildren involved with 4-H. They speak of the memories shared together at county and state show experiences. 4-H continues to be an important part of life for the Pitsenbarger family.
Derry has always believed in sharing farming as a way of life, with youth and promoting agricultureto other generations, hoping more and more family farms will spring up throughout the county and state. Though his years in leadership roles are past, he continues to support local 4-H'ers by purchasing their livestock at the fair auctions and making donations to the fairgrounds/fair board as well.
To Derry, 4-H is timeless. Back in 1956 the four "H's" in the 4-H pleadge represented important considerations in being a good citizen. Despite the many changes in the world since the 1950's those core values of the 4-H organization seem even more important today. Derry Pitsenbarger has been very honored to be involved with something so meaningful for so many years of his life and hopes to continue involvement and support for years to come
Categories: Dallas
