The Berrien County Youth Fair said goodbye to a pillar of their association this past April 6th. Barbra J. Kolm spent eighty of her ninety-four years devoted to Fair and its future as an annual showplace for youth of Berrien County. She was the face of Berrien County Youth Fair for decades, and could answer questions on all topics with confidence and a smile. She was able to calm any storms among board members, volunteers or fair visitors, and made the Fair a county family time of joy and celebration, highlighting the accomplishments of thousands of youthful exhibitors over her decades of service.
The Fair matriarch was the daughter of Fred and Alma (Radewald) Foster, graduating from Niles High School in 1949 and completing a Home Economics Short Course at Michigan State University. She exhibited her milking shorthorn cattle at the first fair in the Grove in September of 1946 at the age of 15 with her older brothers, John & Dale. In 1946, a total of 3,750 persons saw the first fair with 350 exhibits. In 2025, a total of 101,125 persons saw the 80th fair with 1,975 exhibitors showcasing 11, 491 exhibits.
Barbra continued to exhibit with the help of her mother, Alma (Radewald) Foster. She was an active member of the Fairland 4-H Club. When she exceeded the age to exhibit, she began to volunteer at BCYF as well as Berrien County Junior Farm Bureau. She was a 4-H leader for 25 years – teaching sewing & baking to many in the Burke Busy Bees 4-H club.
She was elected to the Board of Directors as Secretary in July, 1965 after the passing of BCYF Board’s first secretary, Lucie S. Siekman.
Between 1967-68, Barbra left the bank, and became full-time paid employee of the Berrien County Youth Fair.
Jackie (Hanson) Layman recalled her father, S.S. (Scotty) Hanson, as being instrumental in the hiring Barbra and noted that she was “a great woman who never lost her cool even when the job was stressful. She was very good at her job.”
“She was a 4-H leader for Burke Busy Bees, and she worked as teller at First National Bank of Southwest Michigan in Berrien Springs,” stated Jackie Hanson Layman. “She was an integral part of Fair, was a Fair Board member, and she was so good at what she did–organization and keeping things in order. My dad and the other board members decided she needed to become a paid employee, and that is how her Fair career started. Before that, it was all volunteers.”
“She was a great 4-H leader in baking, we all called Barb when we needed to adjust a recipe,” Mrs. Layman said. “She knew how to sew, crochet, and canned fruits and vegetables–there is not anything she did not know how to do.”
“She always had me come over and help her daughters, Karen (Kolm) Klug and Carol (Kolm) Nutt with their demonstrations at the Fair. I always went to state as an exhibitor, and we helped kids learn how to stand and present in front of people.”
“Ed and Barb raised two wonderful girls,” she added.
“Her laugh, her giggle, is my favorite memory of her,” Mrs. Layman said. “She was a great, great lady…the most wonderful person I have ever known.”
During the years that the Fair Office was not open year-round, Barbra moved records and the fair phone to her home to keep things going. She worked from home, decades before working from home would later became a way of life. In the late 1970’s, the Fair office began its permanent home in the Youth Memorial Building at the fairgrounds. She worked closely with Pam (Koebel) Lawrick who was the second full-time BCYF employee from 1979-1992.
“We had a huge variety of tasks, and we did what we had to do to get it all done,” Mrs. Lawrick said. “She taught me how to take care of, and keep track of, things. She taught me to keep detailed records. She had worked at a bank, and the habits she taught me on how to handle money I still use today in our farm/market business (P&M Pumpkins).”
“We loved every aspect of the Fair, and I enjoyed working with her,” she said. “She tolerated a lot, and worked well with the board presidents. You could not have a better person on your side; she was an excellent supporter to many people. Her kind and patient heart made her special to me, and countless others.”
“My favorite memory of her,” Mrs. Lawrick said, smiling, ” is that she made the BEST sugar cookies ever–she shared the recipe, but hers were always the best!”
Jeannie Rennhack started full-time in the Fair Office in 1992. She served as an interim Fair manager. She continues to volunteer at the Fair and maintains a garden in memory of her father, Roy Rennhack, on the fairgrounds.
“Barb was good at everything,” Rennhack recalled. “It is hard to pick one thing because working for Barb was amazing! She handled everything with such a cool, calm demeanor, and she always took time to listen to everyone who stopped by the office, no matter how busy she was…”
“I can’t think of the Fair and not think of Miss B. they are one in the same,” she emphasized. “They don’t make them like that any more; she was a remarkable woman.”
In 1995, Ed and Barbra’s daughter, Karen (Kolm) Klug was hired as the first BCYF Executive Director. Barbra worked beside Karen – literally in the same office, for several years.
“I thought I knew a lot about BCYF since Mom had been secretary since I was five years old; I quickly learned that I had a lot to learn and the best part was I just had to ask my Mom!” Karen said.
Barbra served with on the board with nine Fair Board presidents: F. Wendel (Bud) Bruce, Robert Norris, Lowell G. (Spike) Bruce, James Harrison, Delos R. Potts, Al Barbott, Les Smith, Pam Hirsch & Bruce Foster.
“I worked with Barb for 40 years,” former board President Les Smith said. “My favorite memory was that she was unflappable–nothing bothered her on the surface. She had a smile for everyone, no matter how concerning the issue; she was always upbeat and positive, very willing to share information with anyone who came in–very willing to give of her time and share her knowledge.”
“What made her a leader is the fact that she was always willing to share with volunteers and board members not just in here in Berrien County, but throughout the state. She was one of the first inducted into the Michigan Association of Fairs and Expositions Hall of Fame.”
“I could go to her anytime with questions or concerns…her office was first at her house–we always worked out whatever came up,” Smith noted.
He added that one of her favorite committees was the Historical Committee.
“She was very instrumental in that, and very active in the Bicentennial–there are three dresses from that event in Historical Building for this week’s Fair: her dress, her mother’s Alma (Radewald) Foster, and Karen Klug’s as Barb is being featured in the Historical Building this year.”
He noted that she and her two brothers, Dale and John, exhibited at the first Fair, and she was elected to the board in 1965 and served until 1995.
“She was secretary, but she was really the Fair manager,” he said.
“I would also like to give credit to Ed who was always there to support her–he was always there to help with whatever she needed done,” Smith added. “She did a lot to promote the Fair and keep things going in a positive way and was still active after she retired.”
Bruce Foster of Seldom Rest Farms served as Fair Board president for 13 years. He showed the Grand Champion Angus Steer and Grand Champion Fair Steer his first year, at the age of six, at the Fair, and has been involved in Angus cattle ever since then. He continues to be a board member, and oversees the beef, goats, sheep and livestock area. He is in charge of the small and large animal auctions.
“Barb is my aunt, my dad’s sister, and I have known her my entire life.She has been a special aunt for me–Barb and I had a good understanding of each other, and anytime I had a question or issue, I went to Barb, she helped every time.”
“When I first started as a board member, they put me in charge of rides and concessions; I no idea about rides and concessions, but I learned a lot with the help of board President Jim Harrison and Barb–she knew about every aspect of the Fair, and her daughter, Karen, also knows about every aspect of the Fair.”
Barb was known throughout the Fair industry, Foster said.
“She was well-known and respected,” he said. “She was known in every part of the Fair community–rides, concessions, livestock–it was amazing the knowledge she had. When people talked in other areas of the state about Berrien County, they talked about Barb.”
“She ran the fair from that office–you can say we had directors and volunteers and we did, but she ran the fair, and she would delegate if she needed to; she was in charge for a long time, and the fair ran well. We have 18 on the board, a good grounds crew, and a great fair manager.”
He noted that he was “always amazed” at how she knew so many of the volunteers, their families, and others at each Fair.
“She loved people, and she was in it for the kids,” he emphasized.
“My favorite memories are always going into her office, and knowing I was going to get good counseling based on her experience,” Foster said. “I knew I could get answers and help with any issues–most of the directors have felt that same way. She never got flustered; she had that little giggle…it made you happy and you knew stuff was going to work out.”
“She and Uncle Ed were special to me–I was in the hospital one time and they both came up to see me, they didn’t have to, and that was cool; I never forgot it.”
Barbra was a mentor to many volunteers throughout the years. She & Pam Hirsch developed a great friendship as Barbra taught Pam the ropes. Pam exhibited for 15 years at the Fair. She would later serve as Fair Board President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, was on the Executive Committee, and has been a volunteer since 1976.
“I started out as volunteer with Pauline Hansen, cleaning the Fair office, and then worked in the Fair office, and my responsibilities grew from there,” Mrs. Hirsch said. “Barb was my mentor; I would work with her during the summer when I was done teaching. I would volunteer down there all summer long and did whatever needed to be done whether it was the ticket office or something else…whatever she asked me to do.”
“Barb was like my second mother–we did a lot of things together, and always worked as a team,” Mrs. Hirsch said. “She taught you how to work with people…to keep a smile on your face, she wanted everyone to have a good time at the Fair and for it to be a safe place for families to bring their children for the week.”
“I miss Barb a lot–she was Our Fair Lady–we always had a good time together,” Mrs. Hirsch emphasized. “She was a wonderful person to be with, and she always had a smile on her face.”
Barbra was respected by many throughout the fair industry in Michigan and nationwide. Relationships with vendors and concessionaires were strong and long standing. Klein’s Entertainment has served BCYF as their booking agent since the early 1950’s. Barbra continued a strong relationship with owner Peggy Kaltenbach throughout the years. BCYF continues to work with Peggy’s son, RJ, who is the president and owner of Klein’s Entertainment.
“Our company books all the concerts and entertainment for the Fair, and we are a fourth generation company,” Kaltenbach said. “My mom started working with the Fair over 70 years ago, and my mom, Karen and I grew up on the Fairgrounds. We are still working together, and what strikes me about it is the dedication that families have for these fairs and the years of service they put in—that people like Barb and her family have put in.”
“Fairs are family oriented and a lot of the families at the Berrien County Youth Fair have been involved for generations,” he said. “I think it is a uniquely American kind of thing…you don’t see that kind of longevity and service in other events.”
“To have an association with a client like that for so long–they are like family to me,” he said.
“I just remember how much Barb loved the Fair and worked for years and years–it was a labor of love, she didn’t think of it as work, she believed in it, put an amazing amount of dedication into it, and Karen has followed in her footsteps–that story is unique to Berrien Springs.”
Kaltenbach added that her husband, Ed, always helped at the Fair.
“When I was younger, I did sound and lighting for the Fair, before I started booking shows,” he said. “Ed ran the spotlight, helped out on the crew, everyone, especially their family, was involved.”
Barbra attended the Michigan Association of Fairs & Exhibitions convention annually. She attended and taught many workshops on fair organization. She was always willing to lend a hand to a new member of a fair board of directors. Steve Thelen of the Saline Community Fair enjoyed her willingness to share information on any topic requested.
“Barb was right at the top of my mind and list of people to call when I started out as a brand new Fair Board member,” Thelen said. “This occurred because, when I attended my first MAFE convention, I was standing around looking lost, and two of the first people I saw were Ed and Barb and they said `you look new,’ and I said ‘as a matter of fact I am.’ Just like a mother hen, she took me under her wing, and gave me the directions and information that I really needed to be an active member of the convention.”
“To go even further, business cards were really starting to become popular, and she gave me her card with her fair office, number and home number to call, day or night,” he recalled. “She told me she would take my call at anytime, and I called her numerous times over the years.”
“She was a great sounding board and I miss her,” he said. “I miss her wisdom and calm presence–things I always admired.”
Steve has served as assistant treasurer for his Fair Board, has served on State Board of Directors of MAFE, and has started to plan the conventions.
“I have stayed in touch over 40 years, and often told Karen she was born on the fairgrounds and never left,” Thelen said, smiling. “I know the Foster family, too, and they are deeply involved in the Fair–they are just solid people.”
“Barb was a pillar of the Fair industry,” he emphasized. “The whole family has been great friends and mentors.”
Barbra’s husband, Ed, was by her side throughout the years at BCYF as many Fair officials have pointed out. They attended the Michigan Association of Fairs & Exhibitions and the International Association of Fairs & Expositions conventions/meetings, and Ed volunteered in the audio department for many years. In the 1970’s-90’s, he ran the spotlight at most of the shows in the grandstand.
Barbra was a leader of many building projects, fair events, non-fair events and BCYF celebrations such as the 50th year anniversary in 1995. She served as chairman of many committees including the Historical Committee.
When Barbra retired as Secretary of the Board of Directors in 2005, daughter Karen Klug took her place as the third BCYF Board Secretary.
Barbra was inducted into the Michigan Association of Fairs & Exhibitions Hall of Fame in 2015. She was in the first group of inductees with several long time BCYF vendors – Glenn Wade of Wade Shows and Henry Ebershoff of Lafayette Tent and Awning.
Barbra never completely retired until dementia took her from her family these the past five years. Barbra continued to volunteer at the Mom2Mom sales, stuffing envelopes and issuing volunteer passes with Pam Hirsch.
The Berrien County Youth Fair is a multi-generational organization. Barbra’s mother, Alma Foster was a volunteer at the first fair in 1946 until she passed away in 1978. Barbra was an exhibitor, then a volunteer, and then a board member. Barbra’s daughters, Carol (Kolm) Nutt & Karen Klug were exhibitors & volunteers. Barbra’s granddaughters, Amy (Nutt) Knauf, Sara (Nutt) Buursma & Allyson (Nutt) Schuman all exhibited and volunteer. Barbra’s great grandchildren, Sam Markle, Suzy Markle, Ellie Markle, Molly Buursma, Zoey Buursma & Dublin Buursma are all exhibitors. Suzy Markle is the vice president of the BCYF Junior Fair Board!
Fairgoers can visit the Historical Building on the Fairgrounds this week to view a special tribute to Barb’s years at the Fair, and after visiting the building, rest on the bench and carving that honors Ed and Barb Kolm in the mall area by the Al Barbott Memorial stage.
