2016 Pottawattamie East County Perry Henry, Jr. and Josephine ‘Hilda’ Beedle

Perry and Hilda Beedle were married in 1948. Neither had the opportunity to be in 4-H, but their married life included involvement in the county 4-H program.  Perry and Hilda became leaders soon after their children: Gloria, Perry, Linda, and Mark, joined the Center Clover Club and the Center Clever Champs.  4-H continued to be a part of the next two generations of family.

Perry farmed after his service in the U.S. Army.  He raised dairy cattle, sold his Grade A milk, and later raised Herefords.  He also drove a school bus.  He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the SWI Farm Business Association and the American Hereford Association.  He was a board member of the Farm Service Co-Op, and the school board. As a member of the County 4-H Committee for 15 years, Perry helped get barns ready at the county fair and judged herdsmanship.  He assisted in establishing the livestock sale at the county fair.

Hilda worked for the ASCS (now FSA) measuring farms in the late 1960’s through the early 1970's. She also worked as an LPN in the 1980's.  She has been active in her ladies neighborhood club.  Together, Perry and Hilda enjoyed their card club and involvement in the United Methodist Church. 

Hilda credits 4-H with her own learning of sewing.  As a leader, she learned right along with the girls in the Center Clover Club.  She still enjoys sewing.  As the girls finished a bolt of fabric, she taught them to create an ironing board with the bolt and some batting.  She has fond memories of trips to the Blackstone Hotel, giving 4-H members the opportunity to dress up, complete with white gloves, and have a fancy dinner.  She took car loads of kids to Madrid to the State 4-H Camping Center and planned many valuable club educational tours.

Hilda feels that 4-H can really help children develop into responsible, capable adults.  As a leader, her personal goal was to make sure all members got as much out of the experience as her own children.  That meant those whose parents were unable to help would be helped by her; as officers, giving talks and demonstrations, sewing at her kitchen table. She was a big believer in doing record books well.  Kids would all be sitting around the kitchen table filling out forms, gluing in newspaper clippings and pictures, and especially working on their stories.  Many said, "I don't know what to write."  Hilda had a good way of questioning them to get them to think about many possibilities and before the afternoon was done, they had stories!  She shared every secret that she had to help any girl do things well. 

Perry passed away in 1995.  At age 88, Hilda is very active in her local community, attending school activities, including basketball, football, musicals, and more.  Hilda also enjoys watching livestock shows at the county fair and viewing the clothing and baked exhibits.  She has judged the county fair pie baking contest many years, and always donated her judging payment back to the county 4-H Booster Fund.