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Jan 21, 2024

‘A brilliant light to all of us’

Luke Taylor/The News-Gazette Vermilion County Fair board President Rick White

Luke Taylor/The News-Gazette

Vermilion County Fair board President Rick White presents a sign dedicating the fairground's agriculture discovery zone to the late Mary Alice Stonecipher on Tuesday night.

OAKWOOD — The Vermilion County Fair opened Tuesday with a tribute to a longtime volunteer and agriculture and horticulture educator who died last fall.

The fair board dedicated the book and agricultural discovery zone for this year's event, which runs through Saturday, to Mary Alice Stonecipher, who is credited with starting the hospitality barn and was deeply involved in other county activities like 4-H and the Master Gardeners.

Friends and fellow volunteers remember the mother of two as a tireless worker with a passion for getting young people interested in gardening and agriculture. She passed away in September.

Mrs. Stonecipher, a resident of Bismarck, graduated from the University of Illinois in 1995 and started her career as a horticulturist at Sunset Memorial Park. There, she grew the flowers for arrangements that were placed around the park.

She also joined the Vermilion County chapter of the Master Gardeners, getting involved with a host of community garden projects and programs.

Fellow Master Gardener John Bodensteiner said he and Mrs. Stonecipher were the two longest-standing members of the Vermilion County group.

Both were involved in creating the Douglas Discovery Garden in Danville. Bodensteiner said Mrs. Stonecipher got the idea for the garden from a 4-H trip she led. It was what he called a "never say no" garden, open to any kids who had ideas and wanted to work on the garden.

"She wanted to get them out touching the plants," Bodensteiner said.

The discovery garden includes a pergola, raised beds, trellised grapevines and even a small orchard, intending to create educational experiences for visitors to learn better practices for their own gardens.

Bodensteiner said Mrs. Stonecipher's death was a great loss to the whole community.

"Her maiden name was Light, and I always thought she was a brilliant light to us," he said. "Her name fit her well."

Mrs. Stonecipher also volunteered at the Bismarck Lucky Clovers 4-H.

Vermilion County Fair board member Nikki Duffy remembers Mrs. Stonecipher helping out when Duffy was a 4-H member.

"I can't remember a county 4-H event that Mary wasn't at," Duffy said. "She was always so kind and so willing to help out and jump in if you had any questions. She really inspired me to be more like her."

Mrs. Stonecipher's contributions to the fair included starting the hospitality barn, an area for kids to play and learn a little bit about agriculture. Among the activities: pedal tractors to ride around in, corn and soybeans to play in like a sandbox, trivia for slightly older kids, and live animals to pet.

Fair board member Rick White said dedicating the discovery zone and fair book to Mrs. Stonecipher was a unanimous decision.

"I’d go down to the hospitality barn and watch interactions between her and the kids and see how much she cared for them," White said. "She took a great interest in what kids would want to do."

White presented the new sign for the ag discovery zone during Tuesday night's fair queen pageant.

"I want to make sure people know why we named it after Mary," he said.

The Douglas Discovery Garden is also recognizing Mrs. Stonecipher with a recently completed memorial garden. A dedication plaque will be added soon.

Garden Chair Paulette Miller said she loved Mrs. Stonecipher for her caring and compassion.

"It was so hard to go back into the garden after she passed," Miller said. "I remember her telling me that when things get hard, all the volunteers will help each other."

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