Community mourns loss of long-time CEO

The Glenn County Fair community is mourning the loss of long-time CEO Jake Walgenbach.

Walgenbach died Jan. 29 at a Gridley hospital from complications with cancer following years of battling the disease. He was 76.

He retired from the Glenn County Fair in December 2010 after a decade of running the grounds and the May fair.

Current Chief Executive Officer Susan Taylor said while his death was anticipated, it is still a shock.

Taylor took over from Walgenbach in January 2011, but stayed in contact, she said, often talking with him over the phone and getting together from time to time.

However, Taylor said his health took a turn for the worse in recent months.

Walgenbach spent about 50 years in fair management and retired the first time in 1997 after running the Butte County Fair for several years.

Two months later, he was asked to manage the Glenn County Fair on an interim basis — an assignment that stretched 11 years.

Fair staff member Carol Turner has fond memories of Walgenbach.

She and her husband, Paul, ran the race track at the fairgrounds for many years and worked with Walgenbach then.

"We would bring our problems to him and he was always fair to everyone," Turner said. "He was very patient and will be missed by everyone."

Taylor had worked with Walgenbach for eight years prior to taking over, and knew him prior to that when he managed the Snaffle Bit Futurity in Reno, Nev., a long time ago, she said.

"He was a very nice guy," Taylor said.

At the time of his retirement from Glenn County, Walgenbach said he planned to go fishing, relax and attend roping and rodeo events with a grandson.

Walgenbach said at the time that serving part-time, a few days per week, did not allow him to take credit for the Glenn County Fair's accomplishments.

But he was pleased with the improvements to the fairgrounds, and the fact the junior livestock auction doubled its gross sales during his 10 years there.

He was honored by the Glenn County Fair Board during the 2011 Fair.

Walgenbach was born in Hospers, Iowa, in 1935, and his family moved to Davis while he was a boy.

He grew up in Davis and graduated from the University of California, Davis in 1958.

From there, Walgenbach began his fair management career, which included stints at the Dixon May Fair, Roseville Fair and a fair in Washington state before coming to the Butte County Fair.

He also managed the Snaffle Bit Futurity for 23 years and the Cow Palace Horse Show in San Francisco for 10.

Walgenbach and his wife, June, were long-time Gridley residents.

She survives him along with three sisters, three brothers, a stepdaughter, four grandchildren and four great-grandchldren.

He was preceded in death by a son and one sister.

A celebration of life is scheduled for 1 p.m., Feb. 25, at the Butte County Fairgrounds in Gridley.

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com.