Fulton County Agriculture Hall of Fame inducts 4 in 25th year

8/29/2007
From left, Jeanne Purkey Howison and Marilyn Purkey Neason, daughters of D.R. Purkey; Roger Snyder, Richard Tedrow, and Clifford Shelt display their awards at a ceremony at Sauder Village Founders Hall. There are 101 members in the hall of fame.
From left, Jeanne Purkey Howison and Marilyn Purkey Neason, daughters of D.R. Purkey; Roger Snyder, Richard Tedrow, and Clifford Shelt display their awards at a ceremony at Sauder Village Founders Hall. There are 101 members in the hall of fame.

ARCHBOLD - Marking its 25th year, the Fulton County Agricultural Hall of Fame has inducted four new members.

The induction of Roger Snyder, Richard Tedrow, Clifford Shelt, and the late D.R. Purkey brings the total of inductees over the last 25 years to 101, said Jim Spiess, who helped organize the induction ceremony at Sauder Village in Archbold.

Mr. Snyder, who earned a "No-till Farmer of the Year" award in 1997, has been a leader in the promotion and use of no-till farming and other conservation practices.

He continues to farm in ways that protect rivers and streams by minimizing soil erosion.

Active in the Fulton County Farm Bureau, Mr. Snyder has been Farm Bureau board president for five years.

Through his service to the Farm Bureau, Mr. Snyder has been a spokesman for agriculture.

From 1989 to 1998, he was a board member of the Fulton County Soil & Water Conservation District.

Mr. Snyder was recognized for leadership skills and his ability to motivate others.

Mr. Tedrow, who was born in Delta, contributed to the county's agriculture through his involvement in the Fulton County Fair.

He has lived most of his life in Texas, where he was based as a pilot for Delta Airlines. He has been a Texas rancher for more than 40 years, and raises registered cattle.

Mr. Tedrow assisted the fair board in the purchase of land to the west of the fairgrounds, which will allow for growth of the fairgrounds.

Mr. Shelt, a farmer and agribusinessman in eastern Fulton County for years, has devoted his time to several organizations in the Delta area.

He was active in the Delta Young Farmers' Organization, and served on the Fulton County Soil & Water Conservation District board. He was an adviser for the Pike XL 4-H Club, and has been active with the Aetna Grange for the last 57 years. He is a member of the Grange executive committee.

A former Delta school board member and a 37-year member of the Delta Rotary, Mr. Shelt worked on several community service projects in Delta, including the local park and swimming pool.

Mr. Shelt was honored for promoting the preservation of the environment and for making the rural community a safer, healthier place for people to raise their families.

Mr. Purkey, who was inducted posthumously, contributed to youth development at the state and local level for 40 years. Known as "Purk," he taught vocational agriculture in Old Fort, Bloomdale, and Wauseon.

He was active in the Farm Bureau, the Grange, the Masonic Lodge, and his church.

Mr. Purkey also was president of the Ohio Vocational Teacher Association and served as a board member of the Ohio FFA Foundation.

He was active in the National Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association as well as the Ohio Council of Farmer Cooperatives and the Ohio Grain and Feed Dealers' Association.

Mr. Purkey was remembered as a "homestyle" person with an ability to simplify almost any task and develop cooperation for completing it.