By Citizen Staff | Beaver Dam Daily Citizen
Dodge County Fair Association president Jim Schoenike, who died on Sunday, is being remembered for his sense of humor and dedication to the county’s largest annual event.
Schoenike had been on the fair association board of directors for 31 years and was president for the last 10 years.
Fair board secretary Sharon Keil said Schoenike’s death was like losing a brother.
“It’s a very, very big loss for us at the fair,” Keil said. “I’m hoping he’s at peace now.”
Keil said that Schoenike’s health had been declining in the past couple of years, but he didn’t let it slow him down.
“He just had a tremendous sense of humor,” she said. “He was always full of lots of fun. He never let stuff get him down.”
She said one time, another fair board member was having knee problems and wore shorts, but had his knee wrapped up. Schoenike got the other board members to wrap their knees as well to go and commiserate with the injured board member.
Read the entire article at: Beaver Dam Daily Citizen | wiscnews.com/bdc
Over the past nine years, we have had the privilege of working with Jim Schoenike on the Wisconsin Outdoor Education Expo. The first time we met Jim, we came prepared with all sorts of reasons to sell him on the idea of holding the Expo at the Dodge County Fairgrounds. After about 30 seconds of our presentation, Jim said, “Great, when do you want to do it”- typical Jim. Since then, seven not-for-profit Expos have been held each May at the Fairgrounds, providing over 30,000 fourth and fifth grade students the opportunity to learn about conservation, hunting, fishing and the environment. We can say in no uncertain terms that without Jim’s support and guidance, the Expo would not exist as the model program it has become. In fact, it may not exist at all. Jim was a good and compassionate man of action. He will be missed.