Fair dedicates memorial garden

Roberta's Flower Garden is shown at this week's Livingston County Ag Fair / CIFN photo.

PONTIAC – A new garden has been added to the Livingston County fairgrounds in memory of a longtime fair volunteer who dedicated her life to children and 4-H members.

Roberta Maubach, who passed away last fall, served on the Livingston County Ag Fair board for several years and was a leader for the Cornell Classic Clovers 4-H Club and Cloverbuds. She was inducted into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame in 2021 for her contributions to 4-H.

“Roberta was a huge help and impact to the Ag Fair,” recalled Susie Hart, who is married to Maubach’s nephew Ryan. “She did so much for the kids and for the fair.”

Maubach always wanted to beautify this area of 4-H Park and add something to it.

“She loved flowers, she loved kids and she loved 4-H so this is kind of like the perfect scenario to have this garden here for her.”

Family members donated memorial funds and the fair board covered the rest of the project cost. The spot formerly had tractors displayed on it during the fair and now visitors can enjoy the sights of plants and landscaping as they walk through the grounds.

“We had a local landscaping company come in and finish it up here a few days before the fair and it turned out absolutely beautiful,” said Ryan.

Maubach was a familiar face around the Livingston County Ag Fair each year as she helped with the king and queen pageant, organizing booths and events in the Humiston Building and doing the silent auction for the drawdown.

“This is something that I know she is smiling down on because she would have loved it,” added Susie.

Teaching was another passion for Maubach who received her National Board Certification in education. She was recognized as a Top 10 finalist for Illinois Teacher of the Year and was a Golden Apple recipient. Maubach taught at Woodland School District near Streator and Metcalf Lab School at Illinois State University during a career which spanned 34 years teaching third grade.

In addition to her work with the Cornell Library after school program, Maubach taught Sunday school at the Cornell United Methodist Church.