Adams County Fair
  • Home
  • Sponsors
  • Schedule
    • FULL Fair Schedule of Events
    • Fair Schedule by interest
    • 2025 Grandstand Schedule
    • Wednesday, July 23
    • Thursday, July 24
    • Friday, July 25
    • Saturday, July 26
    • Sunday, July 27
    • Monday, July 28
    • Tuesday, July 29
    • 4-H Events
    • Upcoming Events
  • Events for YOU!
    • Figure 8 Races
    • Sand Volleyball Tournaments >
      • Youth Volleyball Tournament
      • Adult Sand Volleyball
    • The Grace Race 5K
    • Sweetheart of Adams County
    • Corn Hole Tournament
    • Peoples’ Choice Information
    • Little Miss and Mr >
      • Peoples’ Choice Info - Littles
      • Gifts for Little Miss and Mr
      • Former Little Miss and Mister Adams County
      • Be Like Grace Award
    • Kids Day Contests
    • Miss Adams County Fair Pageant >
      • Gifts for the Miss Adams County Fair
      • Miss Adams County Fair Eligibility
    • Junior Miss Adams County >
      • Peoples’ Choice Info - Junior Miss
      • Gifts for Junior MIss Adams County
      • Former Junior Miss Adams County
    • Miss Teen Adams County >
      • Peoples’ Choice Info - Teen
      • Gifts for Miss Teen Adams County
      • Former Miss Teen Adams County
    • Karaoke Contest
    • 4-H Fight to the Finish
    • Baby Contest
    • Coloring Contest
  • Exhibitors
    • General Rules
    • Ethics
    • Animal Health Requirements and Guidelines
    • Exhibitors Pricing
    • Department A - Beef Cattle >
      • Department AA - Junior Beef
      • Pee Wee Calf Show
    • Department B - Dairy Cattle >
      • Department BB - Junior Dairy
    • Department F - Sheep >
      • Department FF - Junior Sheep
    • Department G - Swine >
      • Department GG - Junior Swine
    • Department I - Rabbits
    • Department J - Agriculture
    • Department K - Horticulture
    • Department L - Flowers
    • Department M - Textiles and Arts
    • Department N Education
    • Department O - Culinary
    • Department Q - Truck and Tractor Pull
    • Department R - Horse Shows >
      • 12 & Under Pee Wee Horse Show
      • PONY PULL
      • Ranch Horse Show
      • Barrel Racing Show
      • Open Western Horse Show
      • Team Sorting
      • Team Roping
      • Ranch Hand Rodeo
      • 3 Head Sort N Pen
      • Horse Event Sponsors
    • Department U - Goats
    • Department Z - Rodeo
  • Adams County Fair Memorial
  • Privacy Policy For Exhibitors
  • Carnival
  • Heritage Farms Pavilion
  • Concert Tickets
    • Sara Evans
    • Mark Wills
  • Contact Us
  • Fairground Rental
  • About Our Fair
    • Miss Adams County 2024
  • Digital Billboard
  • Adams County Fair Remembers

The Adams County Fair Remembers Robert "Bob" McCleary

Picture
Bob was born and raised in Liberty Illinois on his parents farm. He graduated from Liberty High School in 1959.
In 1970 he moved and settled with his wife Judy in Mendon on their own farm. Farming was Bobs first love. He was skilled in many different trades but he particularly enjoyed and excelled at carpentry work, cattle raising, row crop farming, and welding out of his own shop.

Picture
This article notes Bob's election as Adams County Fair Board President. This was an office he held several times.

His time well spent on those activities were helpful during his time on the Adams County Fair Board. In 1982 Bob was asked to be on the Adams County Fair Board, he happily accepted. Being a member of the Adams County Fair Board became one of his greatest passions. Bob spent many hours helping to construct and maintain buildings and to also improve the fairgrounds taking great pride in it looking it's very best. His involvement with the Adams County Fair extended to his family as well. Bob's wife, Judy, worked in the fair office and at the Congregational Church lunch stand. His son, Troy, and daughter, Tonya, both were in 4-H.
Picture
Picture
Bob's daughter Tonya continues the pulling tradition on her father's tractor.

In the good ole days, both Troy and Tonya also competed in the Adams County Fair tractor pull with Bob's John Deere 4020 in the farm class. It still runs today but instead of going down the track, it spends its days baling straw, cutting hay, grinding feed and participating in parades. Tractor pulling still continues now with Troy and his son Kody.
Picture
Bob and Judy meet with a Country Music star at the Adams County Fair. Concert Night was Bob's favorite at the fair,
Bobs favorite event at the Adams County Fair was the night of the concert. He loved country western music. He was instrumental in getting many popular stars to come to our fair. Some of his favorites who came to the fair to perform were Garth Brooks, Sawyer Brown, Lorrie Morgan, Joe Diffy, Terry Clark and many others. The most important thing to Bob was helping promote an enjoyable experience for those who attended the Adams County Fair. The experience as an Adams County Fair Board Member gave him the opportunity to meet many people and make life long friendships. Bob served on the Adams County Fair Board until 2002, totaling 21 years. He served in leadership on the board as president for many of those years. The 1991 Adams County Fair was an extra special fair week for him, the same year as the 50th anniversary of the fair Bob also celebrated his 50th birthday while being president of the fair board.

After his time on the fair board ended, Bob continued to attend and enjoy the fair each year until his passing in the fall of 2021. 
​​​​
Picture
Memorabilia from Adams County Fair concerts from Bob's time on the Fair Board.
Picture
  • Home
  • Sponsors
  • Schedule
    • FULL Fair Schedule of Events
    • Fair Schedule by interest
    • 2025 Grandstand Schedule
    • Wednesday, July 23
    • Thursday, July 24
    • Friday, July 25
    • Saturday, July 26
    • Sunday, July 27
    • Monday, July 28
    • Tuesday, July 29
    • 4-H Events
    • Upcoming Events
  • Events for YOU!
    • Figure 8 Races
    • Sand Volleyball Tournaments >
      • Youth Volleyball Tournament
      • Adult Sand Volleyball
    • The Grace Race 5K
    • Sweetheart of Adams County
    • Corn Hole Tournament
    • Peoples’ Choice Information
    • Little Miss and Mr >
      • Peoples’ Choice Info - Littles
      • Gifts for Little Miss and Mr
      • Former Little Miss and Mister Adams County
      • Be Like Grace Award
    • Kids Day Contests
    • Miss Adams County Fair Pageant >
      • Gifts for the Miss Adams County Fair
      • Miss Adams County Fair Eligibility
    • Junior Miss Adams County >
      • Peoples’ Choice Info - Junior Miss
      • Gifts for Junior MIss Adams County
      • Former Junior Miss Adams County
    • Miss Teen Adams County >
      • Peoples’ Choice Info - Teen
      • Gifts for Miss Teen Adams County
      • Former Miss Teen Adams County
    • Karaoke Contest
    • 4-H Fight to the Finish
    • Baby Contest
    • Coloring Contest
  • Exhibitors
    • General Rules
    • Ethics
    • Animal Health Requirements and Guidelines
    • Exhibitors Pricing
    • Department A - Beef Cattle >
      • Department AA - Junior Beef
      • Pee Wee Calf Show
    • Department B - Dairy Cattle >
      • Department BB - Junior Dairy
    • Department F - Sheep >
      • Department FF - Junior Sheep
    • Department G - Swine >
      • Department GG - Junior Swine
    • Department I - Rabbits
    • Department J - Agriculture
    • Department K - Horticulture
    • Department L - Flowers
    • Department M - Textiles and Arts
    • Department N Education
    • Department O - Culinary
    • Department Q - Truck and Tractor Pull
    • Department R - Horse Shows >
      • 12 & Under Pee Wee Horse Show
      • PONY PULL
      • Ranch Horse Show
      • Barrel Racing Show
      • Open Western Horse Show
      • Team Sorting
      • Team Roping
      • Ranch Hand Rodeo
      • 3 Head Sort N Pen
      • Horse Event Sponsors
    • Department U - Goats
    • Department Z - Rodeo
  • Adams County Fair Memorial
  • Privacy Policy For Exhibitors
  • Carnival
  • Heritage Farms Pavilion
  • Concert Tickets
    • Sara Evans
    • Mark Wills
  • Contact Us
  • Fairground Rental
  • About Our Fair
    • Miss Adams County 2024
  • Digital Billboard
  • Adams County Fair Remembers