08/25/2026
Congratulations to the 2026 Monroe County 4-H Hall of Fame Award recipients, Carl and Lois Kendall! 🎉🍀
This honor is so well deserved! Thank you, Carl and Lois, for your dedication, support, and lasting impact on the Monroe County 4-H program. Congratulations on this special recognition!
Monroe County 4-H Hall of Fame Award- Carl and Lois Kendall
Carl and Lois Kendall dedicated decades of service, leadership, and support to the Monroe County 4-H program. Their commitment to youth, agriculture, and community involvement has positively impacted generations of 4-H members and families.
In the early years Carl was an active 4-H member in Appanoose County, where he showed Herefords and other projects as a member of the Moulton-Udell 4-H Club. Although Lois was not a 4-H member herself, she grew up helping her brothers show cattle in Poweshiek County where she developed a lifelong appreciation for agriculture and youth involvement.
After moving to Monroe County in 1978, Carl and Lois purchased a small farm north of Albia. In 1982, when their oldest daughter, Chris, joined the Troy Troopers and Troy Good Homemakers 4-H clubs, Carl purchased three bred ewes to establish the family’s sheep herd. This marked the beginning of many years of active involvement and dedication to 4-H as a family.
As parents to Chris, Cyndi, and Carla, Carl and Lois encouraged their daughters to participate in every opportunity available through 4-H and other activities. The girls exhibited pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, and a wide variety of static projects, and one year entered an impressive 44 projects at the fair. Carl and Lois were always willing to lend a helping hand, supporting not only their own children, but countless other 4-H members as well. Their dedication to 4-H continued through the next generations, as Lois helped their eight grandchildren with countless static projects while Carl assisted with livestock projects and care. Family memories of the Iowa State Fair, including Grandpa Carl’s cannonballs in the hotel pool and Grandma Lois’s carefully packed snack bags, remain treasured traditions. Today, their involvement continues with their six great-grandchildren, with Carl still helping and encouraging them with their projects and livestock activities.
Lois dedicated many years as an Exhibit Building Superintendent, spent countless hours to supporting Monroe County 4-H members and took great pride in showcasing their hard work and accomplishments. In this role, she assisted with exhibit preparation, judging, and transporting exhibits to the Iowa State Fair. Beyond her superintendent duties, Lois also contributed her time and talents to food projects, Tours of Taste, woodworking, and numerous other fair activities.
Carl is still proudly serving as a Goat and Sheep Superintendent, this year marks his 42nd year of dedicated service to the Monroe County 4-H program and county fair. Together, Carl and Lois volunteered extensively throughout the fairgrounds, assisting at the flea market, food stand, and with numerous additional projects. Carl dedicated many years to mowing and maintaining the fairgrounds, while Lois contributed through painting, caring for flowers and landscaping, and helping with any tasks that required attention.
Carl continues to instill the 4-H values that Lois so strongly believed in, carrying forward her commitment to hard work, leadership, service, and helping others succeed. Together, Carl and Lois created a lasting legacy of service, generosity, and dedication that has made and continues to make a meaningful impact on Monroe County 4-H and the many youth and families whose lives they have touched.
