Posted on August 18, 2014 at 8:32 AM by Global Reach
Poweshiek County 4-Hers are proud to honor Larry Sears as their inductee into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. He is best known to county 4-Hers as an auctioneer in the sale ring every year when members sell their projects. Many have met him in the show ring , and some have been the subject of his features in the Pennysaver.
Larry began in 4-H as a 4th grader in the Chester Chaps, exhibiting dairy animals while earning many awards. At the 1954 State Fair he exhibited his prize winning Ayrshire to President Eisenhower. In 1955 Larry won the Champion Ayrshire Cow at the Iowa State Fair, as well as earning high individual at the state judging contest in Waterloo. After graduation, he served as the State 4-H President in 1956 and was selected to receive the 1956 State Boys 4-H Citizenship Award. He still keeps in contact with others that served as officers with him.
In 1958, Larry enrolled in Reppert School of Auctioneering. The next two years he spent In the U.S. Army. From there, Larry spent time in Vermont working for Ayrshire Digest and in Wisconsin with Hoard’s Dairyman. In Wisconsin he met and married his wife of 47 years, Nancy. In 1969 he returned to Iowa. Soon after, he started farming and joined his father in the auctioneer business. He and Nancy raised three daughters, Shannon, Suzanne and Trisha before retiring from farming after 20 years. Larry began another career after farming and is currently in his 17th year with the Pennysaver. Throughout all these years, he auctioneered at farm, household, estate and dairy auctions. In 2008 Larry was inducted into the IAA Auctioneering Hall of Fame.
It is through his auctioneering that current 4-Hers most recognize Larry. He has been a part of Poweshiek County Fair Livestock sale for as long as many of them can remember. It is not uncommon to see him using his years of dairy expertise to judge and educate 4-Hers in the show ring. His ongoing support of 4-H is evident in his work at the Pennysaver, where he has put together many special features focusing on 4-H and the youth of Poweshiek County and promoting the 4-H experience.
Thank you Larry for being a part of Poweshiek 4-H.
Categories: Poweshiek
