Doug and Mary Ohnmacht named grand marshals for Labor Day parade
By LIZ SKILLERN
The
Page County Post
Community service runs deep for Doug and Mary Ohnmacht, and this year, the couple will be honored for their decades of dedication to Essex when they serve as grand marshals of the town’s annual Labor Day parade.
The parade, scheduled for Monday, Sept. 1, will highlight the 2025 Essex Labor Day Celebration, held Aug. 29–Sept. 1, with this year’s theme, “Labor Day Luau.”
For the Ohnmachts, receiving the letter naming them as parade marshals came as a surprise.
“First of all, we didn’t know we had been nominated,” Mary said. “We were just kind of surprised. It really kind of got to both of us. The letter that was sent was just really nice—it meant a lot.”
Lois Nadine Wagaman Blume 1928-2025
PHOTO PROVIDED
GRAND MARSHALS
Doug and Mary Ohnmacht have been named grand marshals of the 2025 Essex Labor Day parade, set for Sept. 1. The longtime Essex couple will lead the parade during this year’s celebration, themed “Labor Day Luau.”
DEATH NOTICE
Lois Nadine Wagaman Blume was born Dec. 8, 1928, in the upstairs bedroom of the “big Baker House” south of Tinville, IA. Her parents were Orville and Susan (Smith) Wagaman. She had two older sisters: Evelyn and Louise.
During the 30s Orville moved his farming to the “Mitchell” house and later to Nodaway, IA, where Nadine started grade school. In 1936 the family moved to “Frog Holler” in Villisca, IA. She enjoyed school and learning walking 20 blocks to school.
During the war, the family moved to 36th St. and Leavenworth in Omaha. Nadine graduated from Omaha Tech in May 1946 as “Queen of Sports.” While in school, she was a lifeguard at the country club and a “soda jerk” at the pharmacy, and a nurses aid.
Her cousin Melvin Royer took her on a blind date with Lawrence Blume and so they were married on Feb. 22, 1947. The honeymoon was spent snuggling in the hay and watching pigs being born. Along came her children: Mike, Ron, Marcia and Norman. That led to Cub Scouts, 4-H projects, Hereford cows, church choir, altar guild, teaching mid-week and grandson Brent whom she helped to raise, and life guarding at Crystal Lake.
Nadine received many awards for nearly 50 years involvement in scouting and community service. She most enjoyed her summers working and hiking at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. She was a member of the Buffalo Patrol and received the Silver Beaver Award. Brent becoming an Eagle Scout was a highlight for her.
Preceding her in death was her husband Lawrence, her parents, and her mother and father in-law.
She is survived by her children: Mike, Ron, Marcia, Norman, and grandson Brent, grandchildren: Matt, Amy, and Megan, along with great-grandchildren and many other family and friends.
For 33 years Mike helped Lawrence and Nadine stay on the farm they loved and in their own house.
Funeral services were held Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, 11 a.m., at St. John Lutheran Church, with a visitation one hour prior. Memorials can be made to the Page County Fair Board in Nadine’s name. Burial took place at Arlington Cemetery north of Villisca. Walker-Merrick-Billings Funeral Chapel assisted the family with the arrangements.
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High School. Their family’s ties to the community span generations—both of their fathers and even a grandmother graduated from Essex. Doug’s parents were also chosen as parade marshals years ago, making the honor even more meaningful.
“We’re definitely Essex through and through,” Mary said with a smile.
Doug has been a longtime Essex School Board member, serving multiple terms and several years as board president. He also works to preserve local history through the Essex East Gym restoration project, all while running a successful farm. Mary has been active in city government and youth activities, working as Essex city clerk for several years and serving more than a decade as the high school’s cheerleading coach.
Tess Nelson, with Essex Community Development, said the recognition is well deserved.
“I will say our community is blessed to have Doug and Mary,” Nelson said. “The Ohnmachts genuinely care about our community and give countless hours working toward its betterment. They are amazing people.”
A family tradition
The Ohnmachts said the parade has always been a highlight of their year. Mary, who has organized the Miss Essex contest for more than 20 years, recalled only missing one parade—when their daughter Amber was born.
“We brought her home from the hospital that day,” Mary said. “My parents had Jacob, so he got to see it, but we missed it that year. I have pictures of people passing Amber around on Labor Day.”
Doug remembers the hard work behind the scenes.
“I’ve always been on a group that moves all the bleachers, and so many people work hard during the weekend,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed watching the next generation
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Garage Sale: Post 98 American Legion - Clarinda Sept. 5th & 6th.
Deep Essex roots Both Doug and Mary are lifelong Essex residents and graduates of Essex
step up. We’ve got a lot of younger people involved now, and that’s good for the future.”
Labor Day has also been a chance for family and friends to gather. The Ohnmachts traditionally watch the parade from Mary’s parents’ yard, joined by extended family and neighbors.
“It’s fun to see people in the parade that you know and holler at them as they go by,” Mary said. “We’re always catching candy, laughing, just enjoying it.”
Honoring community spirit
The couple said the most rewarding part of living in Essex is its strong sense of community.
“It’s our sense of pride,” Doug said. “If you put a call out, people step up. Sometimes you almost have too much help because so many want to be part of it.”
Mary added, “We just hope that people know we care about our community and that maybe it encourages others to step up and get involved, too.”
This year’s celebration will also include a special tribute to the late Leland Ackerberg, who was named honorary grand marshal. Ackerberg, who passed away in August 2024, was a fixture in Essex for decades, working at the school as a custodian, transportation manager, and groundskeeper. He was a 53-year member of American Legion Post 333 and a dedicated supporter of
the community.
Looking ahead to parade day For the Ohnmachts, the parade brings one more gift this year—having all of their children together.
“Amber is flying back from Texas, so all of our kids will be here,” Mary said. “That’s something you just can’t measure.”
Doug said the Labor Day celebration represents what Essex does best: “It brings everyone together, builds community, and lets us enjoy the fruits of our labor.”
The 2025 Essex Labor Day Celebration runs Aug. 29–Sept. 1, featuring family-friendly events, entertainment, and the parade at 2:00. on Labor Day.
ShenDig BBQ Championship brings big flavors, big crowds to Shenandoah
By LIZ SKILLERN
The Page County Post
Smoke, sauce, and sizzling competition filled the air as Shenandoah hosted its fourth annual ShenDig BBQ Championship July 18–19 at the Elks Lodge.
The Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event drew 30 teams from across the Midwest and beyond, with local volunteers and community members helping turn the weekend into one of the area’s big summer events.
Low Eye Que, a southwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska team, claimed the overall grand championship.
The team also earned second place in chicken, first in pork
ribs, and fifth in brisket.
Two-time grand champion Hot Daddy’s Barbecue took reserve champion honors, while Bocephus Barbecue rounded out the top three. Natalie Kirsch, who serves as president of the Forum to Revitalize Shenandoah which hosts the event, said this year’s turnout was an important milestone. “Once we got over 25 teams, our grand champion is invited to the American Royal, and they get a draw into the Jack Daniels Invitational.”
Competition and surprises Teams traveled from Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Michigan to compete in brisket,
ribs, chicken, and pork. Judges, many of whom return annually, praised the competition’s hospitality and accommodations.
A light moment came with the Mayor’s Trophy, which organizers changed this year. Instead of awarding the top overall local team, the new “Lucky 13” trophy went to the team placing 13th overall. Ironically, Team Crawford of Atlantic — which had won the Mayor’s Trophy three years in a row — also landed in 13th place, keeping the mayor’s award in their possession.
Community response
Kirsch said teams and judges left with high marks for ShenDig, but public
feedback was mixed.
“Teams were very happy with the competition and several indicated that this is one of their favorite competitions of the year,” Kirsch said. “Judges were very pleased with the accommodations. Public feedback was mixed — many people were upset that there wasn’t a BBQ food truck and that we didn’t do the sampler plates on Saturday like in years past.”
The Friday night Taster’s Choice event allowed the public to sample food directly from competing teams, but Kirsch acknowledged the absence of Saturday samplers was felt.
“Everyone was really impressed with the Jason Mayer Band on Friday night, and we are planning to have him return next year,” she added.
Sunday, Aug. 24 2 p.m. Miss/Little Miss Essex Pageant Essex School, Trojan Hall, $1 admission Friday, Aug. 29
Day Citywide Garage Sales 6:30 p.m. Community Kickball Games @Essex School (near baseball field) Concessions available Saturday, Aug. 30
a.m. Community Worship Service @ St. John’s – Led by True Love Quartet 11 a.m. Rustic Market @ park 11-2 Scatter Joy Acres Petting Zoo @ park 12-5 Inflatables & facepainting @ park, 12-5 Iowa Corn Biofuels Trailer @ park
p.m. Bubble Blowing contest @ pavilion
True Love Quartet concert @ bandstand, 1-3 Kids water fights @ park
Class Reunion @ Trojan Hall, 1-3 Biochar demonstrations @ park , 1-4 Foam
Results
Highlights from the competition included:
• Chicken: Hot Daddy’s Barbecue, first; Low Eye Que, second; Never Easy Barbecue, third.
• Pork Ribs: Low Eye Que, first; Bocephus Barbecue, second; Parrothead Smokers, third.
• Pork: Home Farm Barbecue, first; City’s Edge, second; Team Crawford, third.
• Brisket: Bad Influence Barbecue, first; Low Eye Que, fifth; Casual Smokers, third.
• Special Awards: Smokin’ Lefties Barbecue earned the Team Spirit Award, while Team Crawford collected both the Wild Child and Lucky 13 trophies.
Looking ahead
Nearly 50 volunteers helped make the event a success. Kirsch said organizers are already planning for improvements in 2026.
“My main goal would be to increase the number of teams participating, to have a BBQ food truck, and to bring back some form of sampler plate,” she said.
ShenDig has quickly become a competition that showcases not only smoky flavors and skilled cooking, but also Shenandoah’s hospitality and community spirit.
Essex's young pitmasters take on ShenDig
KILLING IT
The Grill Reapers competed at the ShenDig BBQ Championship in Shenandoah bringing creativity, teamwork, and flavor to the KCBS-sanctioned event. Shown, left to right, are: Lina Sholes, Nyiah Manchester, Stephanie Sholes, Wade Sholes, Colt Nelson, Rhys Chambers.
By LIZ SKILLERN
The Page County Post
The Grill Reapers from Essex High School showed off their barbecue skills at the ShenDig BBQ Championship, held July 18–19 in Shenandoah. The KCBS-sanctioned event, which serves as a qualifier for the prestigious American Royal in Kansas City, challenges teams to master brisket, ribs, chicken, and more, and this high school team held their own against seasoned competitors. The event draws teams from across the U.S. and even internationally.
Competing for the third time, the Grill Reapers brought both skill and creativity to the competition. “I think something that sets our team apart from adult competitors is that we're learning new things while being at the same level as everybody else,” said team member Nyiah Manchester. Chicken was a favorite category for the team, praised for its versatility and ability to take a variety of flavors.
Rhys Chambers added, “Good things take time. This is my third year competing, and I’ve learned not to rush through things. Competing with nothing to lose is actually an advantage.”
Balancing school, sports, and cooking is a challenge, but team members say it helps with accountability and time management. Beyond the competition itself, students said their favorite part of ShenDig is meeting other teams and trying new dishes.
Stephanie Sholes, Essex Food Service Director and the team’s coach, said, “I love seeing the kids be creative through the art of cooking! Watching them come up with their dish for the Taster’s Choice and seeing the pride on their faces when people like it is my favorite part of this whole competition.”
The Grill Reapers’ experience at ShenDig demonstrates not only culinary talent but also teamwork, creativity, and the ability to balance multiple responsibilities—all while enjoying a unique, community-focused event.
Clarinda: 1200 S. 16th Street | Shenandoah: 500 S. Fremont Street | Red Oak: 1605 N. Broadway Street