Over 50 years of serving at the fair
Lyle Rexroat
By Wade Daffron
TJ Editor
From his chair at the side of the stage, Lyle Rexroat watched it all unfold…
He studied the hustle and bustle of pageant organizers lining up participants, preparing trophies and sashes, and keeping things on schedule.
“Let me show you something,” he said, reaching for his phone.
Rexroat displayed a picture of the bed of his pickup truck loaded with trophies and pageant accessories.
“That’s how I used to do it,” he laughed. “Did that for many years.”
Over 50 years, actually.
Technically, 52 years.
“My first year with the fair was 1974, sure was,” he said. “I was president in 1980-81…and was vice-president before that. I’ve helped with the pageants…awards, things like that. I’ve been through 40 years of that. I reckon I’m one of the oldest ones still around, if not the oldest.”
A legendary fixture at the Russell County Jaycees Fair, Rexroat recently hinted at “retirement.”
“I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he said last week, “helping with the pageants…ordering ribbons…just whatever to help out.”
This past Saturday, after spending “five hours on my feet at work…five hours on concrete,” Rexroat made his way to the Veterans Fairground to watch the majority of pageants.
An old friend noticed him and stopped by to visit.
“I thought you were retiring?” the friend asked.
“Well, I didn’t say I wouldn’t come watch!” Rexroat replied with a grin.
That’s the Lyle Rexroat many people know and love.
Always ready with sage advice, and quick wit and a charming smile, he’s a true “Gentleman of the Fair.”
Through the many years of service to the Jaycees and within pageant circles, Rexroat was the essence of chivalry.
He escorted pageant participants from changing areas to the stage via a golf cart so dresses would’t be tracked through dirt, gravel or mud, he would suddenly appear with an umbrella so contestants wouldn’t be showered with rain (“It always rains a little at the fair,” he said), and he was always ready to spring into action if something broke, was needed, or a situation arose. (“You always have to prepared for anything and everything,” he assured.)
Rexroat said helping with the popular pageant “is a 12 month job.”
“You can keep a lot of the stuff you have left over,” he explained. “Now, the sashes and ribbons, they are dated, but some of the other stuff left over..you can put back in storage, inventory…and when March comes, you can see what you have, and what you need.”
Aside from his fame with the fair, Rexroat is well-known for his longtime tenure at Russell County Auto Parts off Main St. In Russell Springs.
“I went there in 1966,” he proudly said. “I’ve started on my 60th year.”
This past Wednesday, June 3, Rexroat reached the milestone of his 80th birthday.
“How ‘bout that?” he asked. “I still stay busy mowing…doing things around the house.”
(Those who know will also affirm he’s quite a fine musician.)
Not one to seek attention or accolades, Rexroat stressed the fair, where he has established a legacy, is a cooperative effort among many people.
“Everybody just wants to put on a good fair,” he said. “That’s what matters.”
