KDSN RADIO News
A Lifetime of Service: Honoring Annette Boeck’s 51 Years of Inspiring 4-H Leadership
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It’s hard to describe a life of service without mentioning Annette Boeck. Family, team building, and community service have always been a priority.
You may not know, but Annette literally grew up in 4-H; her father, Maclyn LaRue, was an extension director for 30 years (most of them here in Crawford County). She and her four siblings were members of several clubs and learned leadership skills through 4-H. Her sisters shared that her first club was the Atomic Stars and her favorite projects involved sewing and clothing & fashion. Annette exemplifies the 4-H motto, “To make the best better,” and she lives the 4-H pledge daily.
4-H became a springboard for Annette in many aspects of her life. She first danced with her husband, Larry Boeck (a member of the Good Handy Helpers), at a Crawford County Fair 4-H dance. She pursued a degree from Iowa State University in Home Economics, and she and Larry moved back to Denison to raise their three children on a family farm.
During her early days as a mom, she became a fair judge for extra spending money. A fellow 4-H judge, Retha Starek, shared, “She could have judged in ‘71, ‘72, or ‘73 because she had connections, but I think 1974 was our first year.” Long, hot days at countless county 4-H judging events were met with a fan and a smile.
Annette joined Dennis and Mary Koenig as a 4-H leader in 1985 when several of her children were active members of the Good Handy Helpers 4-H Club. While leading, Annette encouraged all members to enter static projects in all categories, hosted write-up workshops and the dreaded record book workshop each year, and was a team player when it came time to judge record books. Mary shared, “One year Larry even called us at midnight because she hadn’t gotten home yet. Reading through those books took forever.”
Annette helped plan numerous field trips and project activities for the club each year. Several included demonstrations on sewing, visual art, and cooking; organizing Share the Fun and other communications; helping with member presentations; officer training and induction; fun “Mystery Meals”; and trips to explore Iowa’s unique history. While she may have handed off the leader title to other parents in 2000 after 15 years, Annette continued her leadership role through sewing clinics and Clothing Selection & Fashion Design events with Sandy Sharp until 2015.
In 2012, her first grandchild became a member of the Good Handy Helpers 4-H Club, and ten of Annette’s twelve grandchildren joined after that time. Seven are still current members. Annette continues to lead by example by demonstrating, encouraging, and supporting her grandchildren in their project choices. Every day is a gift when Annette Boeck is there to teach and guide.
Annette is planning to judge again in the summer of 2025 in Moville. This year marks her 51st year as a 4-H judge. She is looking forward to helping her grandchildren develop their projects and will eagerly be walking through the 4-H building to see and read about all the Crawford County 4-H’ers projects in July.
