Special person missing from the Tuscarawas County Fair
- col-teri-stein
- September 25, 2024
- 584
The Tuscarawas County Fair just wasn’t the same this year. Though the fair activities carried on spectacularly, as usual, one exceptional person was missing: Doug Wills, a longtime Tuscarawas County Agricultural Society board member. Wills passed away unexpectedly in May.
I can’t remember when I first met Wills. He was such an integral part of the community; it was probably shopping at Buehler’s, where Wills, serving as store manager, did stints at both the New Philadelphia and Dover stores.
Whenever I saw Wills, he always said hello, asked how my husband and I were and meant it, and had a contagious smile and laugh. Though I many times interviewed Wills for different articles over the years, we often got off track and enjoyed discussing other topics as well.
Wills wore many hats, and he wore them all well.
He was always looking out for what was best for the fair and the community. A few years ago, the ag board, at Wills’ suggestion, brought back the Band-O-Rama on Tuesday night of fair week. Instead of paying for outside entertainment, the ag board makes a donation to each school band that performs, letting all of us enjoy Tuscarawas County’s best musicians at the grandstand.
I can remember, many years ago, watching the Band-O-Rama with my mother and sister — such fun memories. Now the reincarnated version is attracting more people each year to the fair to watch while allowing the band members an opportunity to see the fair too.
A new 1-mile fun run/walk during fair week will remember Wills each year with the proceeds going to the Doug Wills Scholarship Fund. The first event was held Saturday of fair week, with about 50 participants enjoying an early morning walk from the junior fair board office around the outside of the 1-mile track and back.
Rebecca Davis, the family consumer sciences educator at the Tuscarawas County OSU Extension, organized the walk/run. Davis is from Carroll County and began working in February for the extension. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the chance to meet Wills, but she is dedicated to continuing the event.
“I’m hoping to do it again next year and get some more promotion for it. This was a really great turnout for the first year, and I’m excited to see where it goes and where the course is going to go,” Davis said. “I don’t know the fairgrounds quite yet, so maybe next year we’ll be going through the barns.”
Many members of the Tuscarawas County Pork Producers participated, along with ag board representatives Becky Amistadi and Sherry Bichsel.
“He is truly missed. We just walked this morning to honor him and be respectful of his legacy here at the fair,” Bichsel said.
The scholarship fund is a way to continue Wills’ legacy and help youth as well. The scholarship is for a 4-H or FFA member who is an exhibitor at the fair. Two scholarships were given away this year.
“Doug has been an ardent supporter of the fair and agriculture,” said Chris Kendle, OSU Extension 4-H educator. “(Davis) wanted to do a fun run/walk here at the fair, and it seemed like a perfect tie-in to have the proceeds go to that memorial.”
Kendle agreed everyone is missing Wills.
“He was a great guy, and he didn’t know a stranger,” Kendle said.
Kendle complimented the ag board for their commitment to keeping the fair running smoothly when faced with such a loss.
“There are so many little things that he always did in the background,” Kendle said. “We just didn’t always know what those things were until we’re here in the moment. But I think the board has done a really great job of working together and trying to find those things. I feel everything has went super smooth. That’s a credit to the board that they are trying to think about all of those things that Doug used to do and then trying to get those reallocated.”
Tuscarawas County Agricultural Society Board President Reb Billman felt they may have had some help from above.
“I’m pretty sure that Doug gave us some help. I think he was looking down on us, helping us through the rough times, the tough times,” Billman said. “I’ve got to thank the rest of the board and a lot of our volunteers. Our fair board secretary Sherry, she just did a phenomenal job — parents, advisers and everything. The fair doesn’t happen just because there’s a fair board. It happens because we’ve got a great county and great people in this county.”
In everything we do, especially at the Tuscarawas County Fair, it’s the people that matter the most. Though we can take some comfort that Wills’ memory and legacy will carry on, it was easy to see that there were a lot of heavy hearts at the 2024 fair.