Posted on August 21, 2023 at 2:18 PM by Emily Saveraid
Ted Ide and the late Dawn Ide of Creston, Iowa, have been life-long supporters of 4-H and are well-known for being masters of keeping Union County 4-H youth and their families fed and fueled during the Union County Fair. They are the 2023 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame inductees from Union County.
Ides were members of the fair board for 25 years. Ted chaired the food stand and snack shack committees. The couple oversaw many changes. Their philosophy was to charge enough to make money for the fair while providing fairly priced meals for families and visitors attending the event.
Ted’s involvement with 4-H began as a youth on the family farm south of Creston. Club activities and exhibiting at the Union county and Iowa State Fair inspired a love for all things fair related. This connection of family, love of all things fair and the state fair “family vacation” tradition continued as three of the four Ide children and four grandchildren also were Union County 4-H club members.
Ted and Dawn also served on the swine, dairy cattle and exhibit building committees and spent many years as club leaders, Ted with the Highland Highlights, and Dawn with the all-girls Grant Go-Getters club. The couple were always happiest when helping others. Later, they were thrilled to help their grandchildren prepare projects and watched proudly as they exhibited at the county and state levels. Ides also enjoyed returning to help out in the food shack.
In addition to their dairy and farming operation, Ides were active members and volunteers of Crest Baptist Church. Ted served on the boards of the Union County Farm Bureau and Crestland Coop and was a Grant township trustee. He is a U.S. Army veteran, serving two years in Iceland. Dawn taught kindergarten for several years, was a charter member of The Book Club, was a beekeeper and member of the South Valley Quilters and Republican Women’s Club. She passed away in October 2014.
