The world of agriculture lost one of its most dedicated supporters this past year. Gale Baumgardner Betterly passed away unexpectedly at Wyandot Memorial Hospital. She was the eldest of three (and only daughter) of Virginia and Ora Baumgardner.
During her youth, her parents operated a small dairy farm, milking about 25 head. Gale loved those cows – her mother often told the story of “once when they had little Gale all dressed up with brand new Mary Jane shoes, they found her out with the cows and new shoes covered in manure”. From an early age, Gale was very interested in animal husbandry, joining 4-H and as soon as she was able to show cattle, she would enter a heifer at the county fair.
Ora Baumgardner saw the promise in his daughter and sold his dairy farm to send Gale to college. She made him proud and was the only girl who graduated from the dairy science program at OSU (at the time). She continued her education throughout her life, eventually receiving her doctorate in adult and continuing education.
Cows were not Gale’s only love. Dogs, cats, and horses filled her life. She grew up with a paint gelding that had been her mother’s youth horse which helped instill Gale’s bold and fearless equestrian career. A spill during a jumping episode resulting in a pretty bad broken arm which ended her jumping career but did not end her relationship with horses. She enjoyed many hours on horseback, even taking a week long ride. Although her comfort level ON the horse’s back might have begun to wane, she continued her enjoyment through horse drawn covered wagon rides, both short and long distance, right up until her passing.
Many of you may not know that Gale was an accomplished seamstress and quilter. She enjoyed making farm themed aprons, pot holders, etc. to sell at local craft shows. She even made tote bags to give to all the guests at SCFB’s dinner on the farm, Summit’s Plow to Chow, in 2016. Gale’s commitment to agriculture extended even into her sewing where she made halters and other equipment for animals that did not fit into traditional halters. This was a very specialized business and even before internet sales, she had requests from all over the United States.
Summit County Farm Bureau’s mission statement, to promote agriculture through education and involvement …, was Gale Betterly’s mission, as well! Gale devoted her life to promoting agriculture starting out in the Farm Bureau youth program and 4-H. She became a 4-H educator in Columbiana County and later was in charge of the 4-H dairy program in Michigan. After returning to Summit County, she served in many livestock and grain farming organizations, serving on the SCFB board of trustees, SCFB President and as Ohio Farm Bureau’s Northeast District state trustee. Gale was a natural educator and she so enjoyed sharing her love of agriculture to all ages. She was always willing to share her knowledge whether it was one on one, or in a formal educational setting throughout SCFB’s many programs/events, at the SCFB Antiques Museum and with the SCFB Mobile Learning Laboratory. Therefore quite appropriately, SCFB is proud to announce that we will be awarding a memorial scholarship in her name this spring.
Information gathered from Gale’s friends and family.