Fair organizers honor legacy of longtime supporters Bob and Marilyn Weickert

Bob and Marilyn Weickert during the 2015 Linn County Fair. (Linn County Fair Board)

By John Teagarden, Linn County Fair Board

The Mound City-based Linn County Fair & Rodeo lost a long-time friend with the passing of Robert (Bob) Weickert on Aug 22, 2024. Bob's death came just two weeks after last year’s fair.

Bob served as a Linn County Fair Association board member for more than half a century. He was inducted into the Kansas Fair and Festivals Hall of Fame in 2016.

Bob took the lead in updating the arena facilities during his tenure. The design and construction of the pens behind the bucking chutes, fencing of the three livestock pastures and the stairs and catwalk leading to the announcer’s stand are testament of just a few of his lasting fairground improvements.

Bob and wife Marilyn, with her lawn mowing service, spent countless hours helping maintain the fairgrounds that cover nearly 40 acres.

In addition to their tireless efforts at the Linn County Fairgrounds, Bob and Marilyn traveled hundreds of miles to attend rodeos and tractor pulls across several states each year. While they enjoyed these other events, Bob brought back new ideas to implement at our fair.

Robert (Bob) Weickert was laid to rest in the Prairie Home Cemetery, west of La Cygne. The cemetery is a mile from the original Weickert homestead in Linn County.

In 2021, a sign recognizing Bob and Marilyn’s years of service to the Linn County Fair was erected at the fairgrounds. Those attending the dedication of the sign included, from left, Wade Teagarden, John Teagarden, Marilyn and Bob Weickert, Charley Johnson, Tim Heider, and fair board President Austin Stroup. (Linn County Fair Board)