DiAnn & Gary Svenson Stories

  After Gary D. Svenson passed away in 2005, a tree planted in his memory at the Winneshiek County Fair eventually thrived and is pictured here. Gary's brothers Carl and Rich created a wrap around wood bench for that tree that DiAnn and Carl lovingly treated and cared for as long as they could. By 2021, those wood benches had run their course. Rich found Iowa Plastics Recycling as a source for updated benches that will last. Their work is already in place locally at places like the Whippy Dip and the Decorah Fish Hatchery. Orders placed from Iowans receive a significant discount from prices listed on the web.  Rich and Duane Dehning assembled six Malibu benches in memory of Gary and DiAnn that will be placed around Gary's tree by the time of this year's Winneshiek County Fair.  For more information on buying your 2022 fair button, click here .  Gary and DiAnn's six benches contain a dedication across six plaques in the center: Welcome to Winneshiek County Fairgrounds,

Gary and DiAnn are pictured in 1973 at the Association of Iowa Fairs President's Reception the year Gary served as president. With Gary and DiAnn are a fellow Winneshiek County Fair Board member, Grand Ole Opry star Billy Walker, and possibly Billy's agent Gary Svenson often said "Fair people are the best people." He first came to this conclusion running errands as a young boy for longtime Winneshiek County Fair manager Leon Brown. Gary applied this feeling through most of his life.  Gary combined his love of fairs with his leadership skills when he served as president of the Association of Iowa Fairs in 1973. During his presidential reception in the presidential suite at the Hotel Fort Des Moines that year, county music star Billy Walker, singer of such hits as "Billy's Shoes" and "Cross the Brazos at Waco" was among the reception guests. Billy is likely wearing a suite designed by the famed Nudie Cohn , designer to many country music stars of