Fair Honoree & Centennial Farm

There are many dedicated individuals who make the Evergreen State Fair amazing. Those who dedicate hours, days, and months of their lives every year to make sure, every booth, display, shop, show, or activity runs smoothly.  The Fair Honoree is an opportunity to recognize deserving individuals who make The Evergreen State Fair a success. 


2025 Evergreen State Fair Honoree Pat Pehling

Image of Pat Pehling and Sherry Stovner

The Evergreen State Fair is proud to announce Pat Pehling as the 2025 Fair Honoree, recognizing her decades of leadership, service, and dedication to 4-H and youth development. 

Pat Pehling became a 4-H member in 1961 become a 4-H volunteer in 1972 and then was recruited as the 4-H Horse Program leader 1979 and has served in that position since. She has mentored and taught an estimated 10,000 individuals in 4-H since then; and spent most of that time as a leader in the equine program. 

She has served as Awards, Policy and Resolution, By-Laws Revision and Record Book Chair through the years. She is our “local expert” on parliamentary procedure. Pat is always willing to step forward and work on the hard issues. In 1999, she was a major planner for a successful postcard campaign to encourage Snohomish County political leaders to fully fund the 4-H program and retain the Extension Center. She has received numerous county awards, including Leader of the Year and Leader Jacket. In 2001, Pat received the State 4-H Alumni Award, and she is in the Washington State 4-H Hall of Fame. 

Pat works on the state 4-H level in various roles. She served on the original Horse Development Committee and is a member of the State Equine Advisory Committee, State Judges/Rules Committee, State Curriculum Committee and State Contests Committee. She has coordinated State 4-H Horse Bowl contests for over 20 years and the State 4-H Horse Judging Contests for nearly 30 years. Pat is a co-author of the Washington State 4-H Horse Bowl Contes Rulebook, the Washington State 4-H Equine Rule Book and was a major contributor to the Pacific Northwest 4-H Horse Member Manual. She is currently working on the Washington State 4-H Horse Judges Training. She is a true volunteer of all senses of the word, so for this reason we want to recognize Pat as the 2025 Fair Honoree! 

“I’ve attended every fair since 1962 – the first 10 years as a 4-H member and then the remainder as a 4-H volunteer,” said Pehling. “I volunteer because of the youth development it creates, my lifelong love of horses, and the excitement 4-H members experience sharing their projects with the public. I’m honored to be recognized and join such an incredible list of past honorees.” 

“Pat is the heart of 4-H at the Evergreen State Fair,” said Fair Manager Mike Ohlsen. “Her dedication to youth, leadership in equine programs, and years of service make her the ideal choice for this year’s honoree.” 

Please join us in celebrating Pat Pehling as the 2025 Evergreen State Fair Honoree at 2:00 pm 8/21/25 on the Courtyard Stage for the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 Evergreen State Fair! 

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Past Fair Honorees

Year Name Year Name
2025 Pat Pehling 2000 Shirley Johnson
2024 Ruth Avila 1999 Ellen Dodge
2023 Rick and Jean Lindsey 1998 Frank Cotterill
2021 & 2022 Kathy Van Buskirk 1997 Audrey Bannon
2019 Don Ballard 1996
Gene Elledge
2018 Elaine Wilson 1995 Beryl Epling
2017 Laura Elhai 1994 Jan Coffelt
2016 Linda Cline 1993 Elmer & Dee Anderson
2015 Ed & Vicki Miller 1992 Ellene Kearney
2014 Pamela Phelps 1991 Don & Ella Walker
2013 Janice Bond 1990 Don Britton
2012 Bob & Nancy Kash 1989 Don & Elma Steffen
2011 Kathleen Wright 1988 Ned Carrick
2010 Sharon Olsen 1987 John Millard
2009 Stan and Nancy Depner 1986 Tom & Pat Kennedy & 3 sons
2008 Doug Moening &
Stephanie Hagarty-Moening
1985 John & Winnie Klein
2007 Tom & Ann Muchoney 1984 Ted Britten
2006 Marilyn Stout 1983 Ted Larson
2005 Andy Delegans 1982 None
2004 Dave Leatherman 1981 None
2003 Robert Drewel 1980 N. Richard K “Dick” Forsgren 
2002 Hank & Lena Mae Getchman

2001 Bert Spada





Centennial Family Farm

Since the year 2000, we have honored 40 county farms that have remained in continuous production under the same family ownership for 100 years or more in Snohomish County. 

Ben, Alayna, Tim and Cheri Stecher

Ben, Alayna, Tim and Cheri Stecher

2024 Centennial Family Farm • The Stecher Family Farm in Snohomish

The Stecher Family have been farming on this land for 135 years with the first generation purchasing the land in 1889, the same year Washington became a state. Franz (Frank) Stecher was born in 1850 and immigrated from Tyrol, Germany (what is now Prad, Italy). He purchased the land and farmed it with his wife Rosa. They raised their four children on the farm. Their son Max carried the farm on after his mother died in 1938. Max and his wife Ila had two sons, Charles, and Larry. They raised dairy cows and eventually gave that up to raise beef as well as vegetables and hay. Ila continued farming after her husband’s death in 1968. She continued to raise calves, make hay with the help of her sons, and sell beef each fall until she was 79. Their son Charles and his wife Janice moved to the farm in 1966 with their three children, Duane, Jill, and Tim. When Ila died in 1991 the farm was left to Charles and Janice. In 2004, their son Tim and his wife Cheri purchased Tim’s Uncle Larry’s share of the farm and moved into Grandma Ila’s house. A year before Charles died, in 2014, he gifted the farm to Tim and Cheri and they continue to raise black angus beef, vegetables and making and selling hay each summer. Janice still lives on the farm, while her son Tim and his wife Cheri live across the street with their son Ben and his partner Alayna and continue to run the farm.