Parade

  Ron Eilers grew up in neighboring Fayette County and attended Fayetteville Independent School District, graduating in 1977. While in school he was active in FFA, basketball, baseball, track, tennis, UIL Academics, and Band. He grew up a member of St. John’s Catholic Church where he was an alter boy, lay reader, and member of the choir. After graduation, he earned his Associates Degree from Blinn Jr. College in 1979, a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching from Sam Houston State University in 1982, Masters of Education in Administration in 1987, Mid-Management Certification in 1988. Ron’s teaching career spanned some 32 years before retirement in 2014. He served as a teacher/coach, assistant principal, Principal, Director of Career & Technical Education, and as Superintendent. He says his 10 years as Principal at O’Bryant Intermediate School in Bellville was among his favorite. After retirement he worked as General Manager of Luedemann Feed & Farm in Brenham, Territory Sales representative for Republic Services, and most recently as Sales Consultant for Tegeler Toyota.

Ron met his wife of 44 years, Linda Heisch of Bellville, while attending Sam Houston and they married in May of 1982 at Bellville United Methodist Church in Bellville. Linda graduated from Sam Houston and went on to a career as a teacher and counselor for some 31 years before retiring in 2014 also. To their union came 2 beautiful daughters, Shelley Renee and Stacey Lynn. Shelley and her husband, Dustin Dippel, reside in Fayetteville and have a 2 year-old son, Cooper Layne. Shelley is employed at Capital Farm Credit in LaGrange while Dustin is employed in the family business CHB Market & Ranch Services in LaGrange. Stacey and her husband, Colton Kaminski, reside in Cat Spring and have 2 children, Maryn Jo and Jace Dillan. While Stacey is employed as a veterinarian, Colton is employed by LCRA.

Ron’s involvement with the ACF began somewhere around 2000 when Stacey started showing steers and heifers in the county fair and continued as he served on the steer & heifer committee, the calf scramble committee, chairman of the Livestock Judging Contest, assisting with the Tractor Mechanics Contest and the Junior Livestock Sales Committee. Along side of his good friend, Philip Shackelford, he has announced many of the shows as well as serving as Assistant Livestock Superintendent for many years.  

During his professional career he served on the Board of the Career and Technology Association of Texas, served as a member of the Hodde Technical Education Advisory Board, member of Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association, Texas School Improvement Initiative, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, member of the Advisory Board of Texas Agri-Life Extension Service in Washington and Austin counties, member of Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Bellville and Fayetteville Lions Club, member and Director of the Bellville FFA Alumni Association, parent volunteer for Texas Junior Simmental & Simbrah Association, Washington County Boys & Girls Club, member, Vice-President and President of Brenham Optimist Club, coached Little League Softball, Little Dribblers & High School Summer League Girls Basketball. Ron also officiated Junior High & High School basketball for almost 35 years and officiated Junior High & High School Volleyball and Softball for many years.

While Ron is stepping back from his responsibilities at the ACF, he will fill his spare time with enjoying grandkids and their activities and keeping up with his family registered Simbrah and Simmental Cattle Operation. Ron will always be a big supporter of the youth of Austin County and the 4-H and FFA programs throughout Texas—seeing the value and opportunities these programs bring to developing our future leaders, not just in the Ag Industry but as leaders in the community. The high level of skills and responsibilities that 4-H and FFA teach are not equaled in any other program, sport or discipline that a child can be involved in.

One final thought Ron leaves you with is: 

1) a saying that was used in his school announcements daily and that is to “Make it a great day or not….the choice is yours.” 

Hope you all enjoy the Austin County Fair and all the events it has to offer and I appreciate the support of this community, not just for myself, but more so for the youth of Austin County.