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National Holstein Updates.................................................................................. 3,9 Obituaries
Genevieve Ellingson
Genevieve Ellingson, 93, of Poplar Grove, IL passed away March 11, 2021 at home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on May 28, 1927 in Dekalb, IL, the daughter of Hugh and Stella (Holiday) Voorhies. Genevieve was a 1946 graduate of Belvidere High School. She married the love of her life, Donald F. Ellingson, on June 22, 1946 at Poplar Grove United Methodist Church.
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She was a lifelong farmer, but more importantly, she was a mother to four wonderful children. Genevieve was a founding member of the Merry Milk Maids and a dedicated 4-H Leader. She was a member of the PTA, the Farm Bureau Women, and Homemakers. Genevieve enjoyed hosting school field trips, family celebrations, and dairy breakfasts. She coached the Dairy Bowl teams and took them all the way to State and then Nationals. She was also very active in planning for events and reunions for the class of 1946. Most importantly, she loved spending time with her family, and she will be missed by all those who knew her.
Genevieve will be dearly missed by her children, Robert (Sandra Brockmann) Ellingson, Terry (Kay) Ellingson, Denny (Janet) Ellingson, and William (Wendy) Ellingson; grandchildren, John (Toni) Ellingson, Brian (Renee) Ellingson, Michael (Mary) Ellingson, Rebecca Ellingson Wydra, Ted (Lara) Ellingson, Steve (Natalie) Ellingson, and Matt Ellingson; 15 great-grandchildren; siblings, James Voorhies, Mary Lou Voorhies, Donna Knox, and Joyce Queen; sister-in-law, Viola Voorhies; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Don; and her siblings, Hugh Voorhies, Jennetta Totz, Jack Voorhies, Shirley Rubert, Annabelle Swanson, Robert Voorhies, and Judy Fisk.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to OSF hospice, especially, Mary, Kim, and Jana, for their unending love and support during Genevieve’s final days. The family would also like to recognize Lily, Jurga, and Laura M for their comfort and care.
All memorial contributions in Genevieve’s honor may be donated to OSF Rockford Hospice, 9951 Rock Cut Crossing, Loves Park, IL 61111, or to Poplar Grove United Methodist Church, 105 E. Grove St., Poplar Grove, IL 61065.
Shirley A. Zehr
Shirley A. Zehr, 89, of Pontiac, passed away Thursday, April 1, 2021, at 8:14 a.m. at Evenglow Lodge Tjardes Health Center, Pontiac, IL. Shirley was born September 8, 1931, in Pontiac, IL to Adrian “Donald” and Anna (Carstens) Gregory. She married Donald L. Zehr on October 1, 1950. He preceded her in death on July 6, 2019.
Surviving are her children, Carol (Skip) Jones of Gridley, IL, Lynn (Mona) Zehr of Graymont, IL, Gary (Tricia) Zehr of Pontiac, IL, Lori (Jeff) Bohm of Graymont, IL, and Jan (Jim) Girard of Pontiac, IL; grandchildren, Heather (Bryan Long) Jones, Brandon (Cathy) Jones, Katie (John) Goulden, Brandey (Mikey) Morse, Amanda (Kim Verdun) Bohm, Russell Zehr, Danny (Courtney) Zehr, Addie (Lucas) Folkerts, Adam (Amanda Schumm) Girard, Rosalee Zehr, and Wyatt Zehr; and great grandchildren, Madelyn, Charlee, Chandler, Ian, Alexa, Aria, Jasmin, Ethan, Brianna, Jayden and Cheyenne. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Don.
Shirley was educated in Graymont Schools and a graduate of Pontiac Township High School. She was a lifelong farming wife, mother, and grandmother. She enjoyed raising her family and helping with the family farm. Shirley was a member of Graymont Baptist Church her entire life and was the nursery teacher there for over 35 years. She was a member of the Neighborhood Card Club in Cornell, IL and the Pinochle Club where she enjoyed playing every month for over 60 years. She was also a member of the Rooks Creek Home Extension and served on many church boards and committees through the years. Shirley was an avid seamstress. She enjoyed growing a big garden for canning and doing crafts of many kinds. She cherished time spent with her grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Graymont or the Livingston County Ag Fair.
Pauline Erbsen
Pauline Marie Erbsen, 84, of Lanark went to be with her Lord on April 28th, 2021. She was born December 29, 1936 in Lanark, IL, daughter of Paul & Blanche (Guenzler) Diffenderfer. She married Kenneth Erbsen on August 4, 1957 in Lanark.
Pauline graduated from Lanark High School in 1954. Her first job was at Zentner Drug Store where she met Kenneth. Upon marriage her and Kenneth became full time dairy farmers, working side by side until his death in 1994. She and her family continued the farming operation and development of Erbacres Holsteins.
She was an active member of the Lanark First Brethren Church where she served as a deaconess, member of Women’s Missionary Circle, and sang in the choir. She also served as a 4-H Leader and was involved in many agricultural activities throughout Carroll County. Along with her family, she was an active member of the Illinois Holstein Association and was honored with their Distinguished Service Award in 2010.
Pauline welcomed many international guests into her home over the years and maintained lifelong friendships with these young people. She enjoyed gardening, quilting, baking, and serving others. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family.
Survivors include her six children: Paula (Rick) Bovre, Fond du Lac, WI, Kathleen (Bob) Opperman, Rockford, IL, Kevin (Wendy) Erbsen, John Erbsen, and Carl (Becky) Erbsen, all of Lanark, IL, and Carla (Jon) Mickey, Taylorville, IL, nine grandchildren: Justin (Brenda) Opperman, Megan (fiance Travis Schafer), Connor, Nathan, Nevin, Payton, Delana Erbsen, Tanner and Drew Mickey, and six great-grandchildren: Adalynn, Leighton, Willah, Justus, Evers, and Haddon Opperman. She is also survived by sisters MaryAnne (Bill) Dailey, Alice (Dave) Nix, and Janet Gruhn, along with many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth, parents Paul & Blanche Diffenderfer, and in-laws Theodore & Emma Erbsen.
A memorial has been established in Pauline’s memory.
Elmon L. Koch
Elmon L. Koch, 89, of Tremont, passed away on May 3, 2021, at home. He was born in Tremont, IL, on June 1, 1931 to Dan and Mary (Baurer) Koch. He spent nearly all of his life working on the family farm where he was born, first with his brother Dan and sons, and later with his own sons, Kappy and Chuck, and grandsons. The farm has been in the family since 1893 and is a registered Centennial Farm.
He attended Antioch School through 8th grade and then graduated from Tremont High School in 1949. He served as a medic in the U.S. Army from 1953-1955. In 1958, he took over ownership of the family farm with his brother Dan. He spent his life building the family dairy from 20 to over 275 milking cows. He came to the farm every day he physically could until the very end. The dairy remains a top performing farm today.
He married Janice Bolliger from Tremont on March 18, 1956. God blessed them with 5 children, 17 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren.
He put his faith in Jesus as a young man and was an active member of the Apostolic Christian Church in Tremont all his life. He enjoyed serving on the Tremont Historical Society Board. His hobbies included collecting marbles and dairy-related antiques. His family will especially miss his kind heart, his sense of humor, and hearing performances of I’m an Old Cowhand and Darling Nelly Gray.
Surviving are his wife, Janice; five children: Paula (Marv) Wagenbach, Kappy (Gayle) Koch, Chuck (Cathy) Koch and Luci Koch all residing in Tremont and Marie (Andy) Williams of Carmel, IN; seventeen grandchildren: (Paula) Lucy Kaiser, Megan Fehr, Nathan and Bethany Wagenbach, (Kappy) Ryan, Sean, and Brody Koch, (Chuck) Lori, Heidi, Elsie Stoller, Angie Schick, and Andrew Koch, (Marie) Hannah, Rose, and Gabe Williams, and (Luci) A’laya and Robert Koch; and three great grandchildren. He is also survived by one brother, Dan (Carol) Koch of Morton, IL and one sister Carolyn Bolliger of Tremont.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Vi Koch and Miriam Frank, and eight brothers: Ralph, Dave, Cleo, Gene, Jesse, Vernon, Gerald and Jim Koch.
Memorial donations may be made to Gateway Woods in Leo, IN or the Midwest Food Bank in Normal, IL.
Junior Holstein Transfer National Deadline is July 15
Holstein Association USA extended the Junior transfer “received by” deadline to July 15 for both heifers and cows in 2020. This new deadline for juniors will remain in place for the 2021 show season and beyond. To be eligible to participate in sanctioned Junior Holstein Shows, the July 15 deadline must be met.
A transfer deadline of July 15 aligns more closely with most of the other dairy breed associations. The extended deadline also allows Juniors an extra month and a half to purchase their show calves, providing additional marketing opportunities.
“We wanted to remind people that the Junior transfer deadline changed last year,” said Kelli Dunklee, youth programs specialist. “It is important to remember the change only impacts Junior Holstein Shows – 4-H and other youth shows may have different deadlines.”
This is a “received by” deadline — any ownership transfer not received by the Holstein Association USA office on or before July 15 will not be eligible for Junior Holstein Shows. Adding or dropping any owner after the deadline will disqualify an animal for Junior recognition. If there is a question as to whether a Junior ownership transfer has been completed, be sure to contact the Holstein Association USA customer service or visit www.holsteinusa.com to check the ownership status and ensure the transfer was received before the deadline. **Note: This is the deadline for National Shows. Illinois State Show deadline is June 1.
Holstein Association USA’s Research Grant Program provides funding to universities and non-profits in the United States performing research studies that benefit the profitability of Holstein cows. Principal investigators with eligible projects are invited to apply until the August 16, 2021 deadline.
The program has a special focus on improving the health and profitability of Holsteins through genetics. However, research proposals can address a variety of areas including nutrition, reproduction, dairy foods, and economics. Research proposals of all sizes will be considered, but grants are expected to be funded with in the range of $10,000 to $80,000 per year. Grant durations are expected to be one to three years.
“Life is ever changing and research is one way to evaluate potential change. U.S. Holstein dairy producers are among the best in the world and the research grant program seeks to complement their expertise by selecting research projects for funding that look to the future,” says Dr. Roger Shanks, Holstein Association USA genetics consultant. “What new idea can make a difference? Can an old concept be improved? Holstein Association USA seeks to fund innovative research grant proposals.”
Four research projects have been funded since the program began in 2017. These include a project from North Carolina State University focusing on using genomic information to manage inbreeding, a three-year project from the University of California, Davis which examines breeding Holstein cows for the slick hair gene to improve heat tolerance, and a two-year study on double ovulation and twinning in lactating Holstein cows from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2020, a project from The Pennsylvania State University focusing on the genomic evaluation of diet digestibility was selected.
More information about the grant guidelines and process, current projects, and applications can be found at www.holsteinusa. com/programs_services/research_grant. html. With questions or for more information contact Dr. Roger Shanks at researchgrants@ holstein.com.
Dairy Producer Scholarship Opportunities for YDLI
The Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI), a cornerstone program of the Holstein Foundation, is a nationally recognized threephase leadership and communication skills development program for young adults (ages 22-45) working in the dairy industry. Fulltime dairy producers that apply for YDLI will be considered for three full-ride scholarships that come with an additional cash bonus upon graduation.
Dairy producers working with all breeds of dairy cattle, and allied dairy industry members, are encouraged to apply. YDLI Class 12 will have on-site meetings in Fort Worth, Texas February 15-18, 2022 and February 14-17, 2023. Applications are due August 1 and may be downloaded from the Holstein Foundation website, www.holsteinfoundation.org.
Dairy producers that are Holstein Association USA members applying for YDLI are automatically eligible for scholarships and do not need to fill out a separate application. If selected, the scholarships will cover the registration fee, airfare, hotel and any other travel costs associated with attending both the 2022 and 2023 meetings. Upon successful attendance for both meetings, an additional $1,000 graduation bonus check will be provided to the scholarship recipients to help offset costs of being off the farm.
The Horace Backus YDLI Scholarship will be provided to two dairy producers from anywhere in the U.S. This fund was created by Tim Abbott, Frank Conyngham, Joel Hastings and Dave Rama to honor Horace’s legacy and encourage dairy producers to attend YDLI.
The Robert L. Cain Memorial Scholarship will be given to one dairy producer in the Southeast region. Cain served as a field representative and then Area Manager for Holstein Association USA for 40 years.
“We believe YDLI is extremely beneficial for dairy producers and well worth the time away from the farm,” says Jodi Hoynoski, Holstein Foundation Programs Manager. “In addition to these scholarships, dairy producers are encouraged to seek sponsorship from companies they do business with to help offset the cost of attending.”
Visit www.holsteinfoundation.org to download the YDLI Class 12 application, as well as view more detailed information on the program. With questions or for more information, contact Jodi Hoynoski via email, or 800.952.5200, ext. 4261.
Wild Genetics
Kris Wild 608-214-3259
David Fischer Honored with Distinguished Leadership Award
David Fischer is the deserving recipient of Holstein Association USA’s 2021 Distinguished Leadership Award. He spent his career helping dairy farmers while working in extension for the University of Illinois. Dave’s passion for the people, the dairy industry, and the Holstein cow shines through in everything he does. Dave’s career as an Agricultural Advisor and State-wide Dairy Educator with the University of Illinois Extension spanned four decades. His work has touched the lives of many dairy enthusiasts, young and old, in Illinois and across the nation. Speaking at Dairy Day workshops, serving as a consultant for farmers, and developing educational programs were all part of his role. Working with 4-H youth programs has always been important to Dave. He coached highly successful dairy quiz bowl and dairy judging teams for over 30 years and served as a judge for many shows. He also spearheaded youth development programs such as the Superior Young Producer Award and Illinois 4-H Quality Assurance and Ethics program. Dave was raised on a farm in the heart of dairy country in southern Illinois, where participation in the 4-H dairy program sparked his interest in dairy. He received his bachelor’s degree in animal and dairy science from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale in 1971. Ten years later, he earned his master’s degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on livestock waste management from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville. He stayed true to his early interest in Holsteins, remaining active in the Clinton County Holstein Club and Illinois Junior Holstein Association. Dave was recently named to the Holstein Foundation board of trustees and 2021 will mark his tenth year serving as the moderator of the dairy bowl contest at National Holstein Convention. Dave is a member of the American Dairy Science Association and has served on the board and committees for the Midwest Section. Over the years, Dave’s selfless leadership has been recognized with numerous dairy, agricultural, and extension awards. Just as influential as the incredible service Dave has given during his career, is his character. Dave brings joy to every situation, is known as a confidant and friend, and is a spokesperson for dairy youth. Dave’s impact on the dairy community has been seen for many years and will continue through his service and cultivation of future dairy leaders. The Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has made a career of providing outstanding and unselfish leadership for the betterment of the dairy industry. Dave Fischer will be recognized during the 2021 National Holstein Convention in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
JUNIOR JOURNEYS
Illinois Junior Holstein Association Meeting Minutes March 5, 2021 · Gridley, IL
Meeting began at 6:30 p.m. with President Briley Lenkaitis presiding. President Briley Lenkaitis gave a recap on the 2020 NAILE show, Vice President Jacob Raber gave a report on state show and fundraisers held there, Allyson Aves Secretary and Illinois Holstein Dutchess gave a recap on how her year as Dutchess has gone an encouraged others to apply this coming year, Treasurer Addie Raber gave a recap on the 2020 Southern Fall National show, and Reporter Megan Busker gave a recap on 2020 Holstein news. Three new fundraisers were brought to the association. A “Senior Showmanship” and 50/50 raffle at State Show was presented by President Briley Lenkaitais. Motion to approve this fundraiser was made by Madelyn Aves and Seconded by Payton Olbrich. Motion carried. President Briley Lenkaitis also brought forward the idea of selling Ropp cheese as a fundraiser. Lars Carlson motioned to approve this fundraiser. Abigail Busker Seconded. Motion passed. Jacob Raber brought forward the idea of an Embryo Shuffle for a fundraiser. Justin Irwin motioned to approve this fundraiser. Alania Dinderman seconded. Motion carried. State Show has been moved to the Logan County Fairgrounds in Lincoln. Allyson Aves and Addie Raber gave a summary of what a Dutchess does in a normal year and encouraged those eligible to apply. The PDCA Calf Sale is to be held April 10th. 2022 Spring Thing committee was formed. We voted on new officers. President Allyson Aves, Vice President Lila Sloan, Secretary Megan Busker, Treasurer Ben Bremmer, and Reporter Alania Dinderman. Motion to adjourn was made by Rachel Scidmore. Hayden Aves seconded. Carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Respectfully, Allyson S. Aves, Secretary
June Dairy Month!
Have you been keeping up with Illinois Junior Holstein members Briley Lenkaitis and Rachel Scidmore? They were selected as Illinois Dairy Ambassadors for Midwest Dairy. This month, they have shared facts about the dairy industry, attended the Marcoot Jersey Creamery Cheese Festival and Breakfast on the Farm at Kilgus Farmstead, and have been making regular stops for milk and ice cream. Thank you for promoting the dairy industry and sharing your experiences!
