NCF honors McPhersons as grand marshals

By Kathryn Rice

The 2017 Nodaway County Fair parade grand marshals are the McPherson family in honor of the late Brian McPherson.

The McPherson family is, front: Andrew Lightner, Kathy McPherson, Brayden McPherson, Aaron McPherson; back: Mike Lightner, Angela Lightner, the late Brain McPherson, Tim McPherson and Andrea McPherson. The family attended a Royals baseball game to celebrate Brian’s 60th birthday on June 26, 2016.

The parade starts at 9:30 am, Saturday, July 15. The theme is Discover the Magic of Memories and the route is Maryville’s Fourth Street starting at College Avenue continuing east to Buchanan Street then south to Second Street.

Brian and his wife, Kathy, had been fair board members since 1988, with Brian organizing entertainment and Kathy handling finances. Kathy remains on the board.

“We cared about it being a Nodaway County Fair and making sure all areas of the county were represented,” Kathy said about the reasons they were involved with the fair.

Kathy is the assistant vice-president and branch manger of Citizens Bank and Trust, Burlington Jct. Brian played with the Black Label Band, farmed west of BJ, served on the Nodaway County Ambulance Board for 20 years, helped with the BJ Kiwanis Tractor Pull and played Santa Claus everywhere, even when he wasn’t.

“Little kids would come up to him at the Chiefs games and say, ‘you look like Santa,’” Kathy said. “He’d say, ‘shh, don’t tell.’”

In honor of Brian, Santas were put on the back of the tractor pull T-shirt this year and incorporated into the Nodaway County quilt which will be auctioned on the main stage at 7 pm, Friday, July 14. Proceeds will go to the fair board.

The fair for the McPhersons has always been a family activity. Their children, Tim and Angela, grew up helping with the fair and they still come each year. Now Tim, and Angela’s husband, Mike Lightner, try to stay and help with the tear down. The grandchildren, Andrew Lightner and Brayden and Aaron McPherson, like to help by emptying the trash cans.

“If we did something, Brian made sure the whole family was involved,” Kathy said. “We’ve tried to instill in the grandkids the benefits of community service and not always being paid for everything you do.”

Kathy is continuing the activities that she and Brian did together.

“Brian loved the fair and the little kids’ smiling faces. It’s important to make memories because you don’t realize that time may be limited. That’s why the board used memories as the theme this year.”

On being named grand marshals she said, “It is a great honor and the family appreciates the honor they have given Brian.”