Vogel continues family tradition as Graham’s Grand Marshal

By Kathryn Rice

Richard Vogel is continuing the family tradition of being the grand marshal for the Graham Street Fair, “Big Dreams in a Small Town.”

His mother, Inez Vogel, was the grand marshal in 1989 for Graham’s sesquicentennial, that is the 150th year, during the Graham Street Fair. Both of his parents, Inez and Joe, were active in the Graham Community Betterment Club which started in the early 1970s. Joe has been chairman until his father’s death in 1984.

Richard was born in 1949 on a farm southwest of Graham. He has four siblings. He has been involved in Graham service projects and development throughout his entire life.

One memory Richard has of the Graham Street Fair was back in the 1960s. Where the Graham Community Building is now, square dances were held with the Hugh Lyle Orchestra playing. The building then had large windows on all sides through which the young Richard would watch.

In 1976, Joe applied for the Valley Forge matching grant which was used to purchase the building to become the present community building. The community raised the funds to acquire it.

His whole family worked on the electric and plumbing during the building’s conversion. The windows were blocked in. The whole community worked to make Graham’s first community meeting place.

In 2015, a tornado did roof damage to the building. The ceiling was opened up exposing the beams. At this point, it was decided to renovate the community building again. Grants were acquired from the Gladys Rickard Trust, Harry and Blanche Messick Trust, and the Gary Taylor Trust. The Graham Lions Club donated funds and labor as well as community members to update the building.

Richard continues to be active in Community Betterment. He has served as chairman since 1998. He has been active in Boy Scouts and helped reorganize Boy Scout Troop 68 in 1990. He has served as assistant scout leader from 1990 to 2000 and scout leader from 2000-2010.

Richard joined the Graham Lions Club in 1970. He served as club president in 1990. Other positions where he has served include zone chairman, region chairman and governor for District 26-F, which is now District 26-M4. His board positions included Missouri Bureau of the Blind and Missouri Eye Research Foundation. He has been an official Graham Lions Club Fish Fry-er since 1980.

Besides Richard serving as Lions district governor, other Vogels have stepped into the Lions position with Joe serving in 1971; brothers, Gene served in Kansas in the 1980s and Gary in 1998.

In 1996, Richard and his wife, Terri, along with their son Richard were honored as the Nodaway County Farm Family of the Year by the Maryville Chamber of Commerce.

Richard and Terri are currently residing in the Vogel home in Maitland, which has been in the family since 1956.

“My wife has a big part in a family who does things,” Richard said. “She has been instrumental in writing the grants which have helped the Graham community.”

“It is an honor for sure. I never imagined it would happen,” Richard said about being named grand marshal. “A lot of people have served in this position and I’m honored to join them.”