By ROBERT A. DEFRANK

Times Leader Staff Writer

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Visitors and volunteers at the recent Belmont County Fair have seen members of the Wise family make an impact on the annual event.

Eileen Wise has worked at the fair in one capacity or another for more than six decades. She said her involvement began through her husband’s family when she married William Wise, and she carried on the family tradition.

“I was married 61 years ago. My husband’s uncle was on the fair board. He got my husband to help … and I’ve been helping all that time. In the last several years I’ve been on the fair board.”

She added that her husband and many of his relatives have also sat on the board.

“There’s been a Wise on the fair board for years,” she said.

William Wise died in 2016. Today, his name adorns the domestic arts and horticulture showcase barn at the fairground. Eileen Wise added that its construction was a fitting tribute to their dedication to the Belmont County Fair and all the valuable lessons it imparts to the area’s youth.

“When my husband was on the board at the old fairgrounds, he was in charge of the horticulture building. Then when we came out here after he passed away, that’s their reason,” she said.

“When my husband passed away, I gave his life insurance money to build this building,” she said. “It means a lot to our family. Right now I’m on the fair board, my daughter (Debbie Ault) is on the fair board and so is my granddaughter (Crystal Phillips) and a grandson (Bryan Hull), there’s four of us in my family on the board.”

Her great-grandson, Zachary Hull, was named king of the fair.

“It’s always been a part of our lives,” she said.

Wise also spoke about the experience of watching children participating in the fair through 4-H and other programs, and continuing through adulthood, often supporting their own children’s participation. During the fair she was often found at the William Wise barn.

“I enjoy working in here, helping arrange things, meeting people, and it’s very interesting.”

“This was my life growing up. We were always at the fair from the time I was born. We’ve grown to love it for the kids,” said Crystal Phillips.

“The Wise family has been involved in the fair for probably at least 75 years,” Debbie Ault, current fair board president, said. “I’m the fourth generation. My son and daughter are both on the board, that’s the fifth generation. My grandkids are on the Junior Fair Board, that’s the sixth generation.”

She commended the values passed on through the family.

“I grew up on a dairy farm. Being involved in the fair goes hand-in-hand with agriculture in the county,” she said.

“When you live in an agricultural community the fair’s part of your world,” she said.

“It’s very nice to see the generations. There’s families that I see now, the fourth generation of kids coming through the 4-H program. It’s just wonderful to see that tradition carry on from generation to generation,” she said.

“They instilled in us the importance of work, the importance of agriculture, the importance of the fair to educate the community on the agricultural world,” she said. “The motto is: A family tradition since 1847. It really is a family affair.”