Evan & Becky Culpepper
Boer-goats and Border Collies

On Sunday mornings, one will spot Evan Culpepper in the parking lot of his church, First Baptist of Decatur, greeting individuals. He volunteers before Sunday school classes get underway and in between the morning services.

`"He's there rain or shine," said his wife Becky of 48 years.

But, during the week, Culpepper's full-time job is holding the office of presidency for the Wise County Youth Fair Association.

He's currently serving in his second year of his three-year term, and is in charge of the board of directors, appoints committees and oversees all of the superintendents.

"I basically do what a president would do over any organization," he said.

He and his wife live on their 32-acre farm just north of Decatur off of FM 51. With a sign posted "Culpepper Cattle" at the foot of their driveway, the history of the property says it all in those two little words.

But, due to last year's drought, the couple sold off the last of their cattle in December and have been focused solely on raising their Boer-goats and border collies.

"We ran out of hay [for the cattle] and it just got too expensive and hard to locate," he said.

They started raising the goats about five years ago and now have a total of 50 goats and 65 kids, plus one llama, that have made their farmland their home. In 1990, they began to raise and register the border collies.

In June of last year, the Wise County Extension Agency sponsored a goat clinic that the Culpeppers held on their property. Over 70 people attended, and they had a barbeque cookout with hamburgers.

Mr. Culpepper is retired from American Airlines; his wife retired from the H-E-B school district in the Metroplex as a school nurse.

In 1985, they moved to Wise County from Tarrant County to raise the cattle and to begin a small ranch.

Before that, they lived in Tarrant County for 25 years where the Culpepper family were involved in the 4-H programs. Mr. Culpepper even served as the president of the Tarrant County Youth Fair Association. so he is no stranger to his Wise County position.

The couple have three children: son Mark who lives in Boyd and daughters Cindy Ray of Godley and Jane Kea of Justin.

All three of their children were involved in 4-H, and because of their involvement. Mr. Culpepper also got involved in the program.

"He didn't have any intention of going after this [the position of youth fair president]. It just kind of evolved after our kids were in 4-H,^" Mrs. Culpepper said.

All three of their children attended Tarleton State University on 4-H scholarships and have put to use their 4-H skills later in their careers.

Their son Mark worked as an agriculture teacher for six years and is currently employed as the national director for TYCO.

Their two daughters have both worked as county extension agents and then as home economics teachers. Daughter Jane later attended the University of North Texas where she obtained a master^'s degree and works presently as a counselor.

In 1981, through the Tarrant County 4-H program, Mr. Culpepper won the ^"Friends of 4-H" award, and he won it again in 2004 here in Wise County.

The best part of his job, he said, is being able to work with the youth. something that he enjoys.

"As long as I^'ve been involved in the 4-H programs, I still enjoy seeing a smile come on the kid^'s face–winning or losing. It^'s not all about winning. And I^'ve been able to look back over the years and see how most have been made outstanding adults all due to the 4-H programs and the FFA and FCCLA too," he said.

But sometimes, there are downsides to being president. One of the hardest parts of his positions, Mr. Culpepper said, is when he has to tell a child that they cannot enter the competition because they didn^'t file their application in time.

"ICs hard having to be the one to tell a child that they are not allowed to show, because they missed a deadline.^" he said.

When he^'s not busy fulfilling his duties as Youth Fair president. he enjoys catching up on all of his favorite sports teams on television. His favorites, he said, are the Texas Rangers and the Texas Longhorns.

A little known fact that not many may know about Mr. Culpepper is that his father was into livestock and that is where he got his start. He was even involved in the FFA at his high school in Moody. Texas.

But his true love is sports, and he even wanted to coach baseball and football. He studied athletics and physical education at the University of North Texas.

With the buzz of the youth fair activities calmed down since it ended a little over a month ago. both he and his wife are grateful for this year^'s event.

^"During the week of the youth fair, he'll work long hours. He^'ll leave here at six in the morning and not come home until midnight,^" Mrs. Culpepper said.

But Evan Culpepper has not slowed down; he^'s already thinking of next year^'s youth fair and is getting things lined up for it.

One of the improvements within the organization for this year is establishing their own Website.

Mr. Culpepper said this is the first year for the organization to be online and that one can "find anything pertaining to the youth fair^" by visiting www.wcyouthfair.org.

A complete roster of this year^'s winners is posted and an update for the 2007 youth fair will also be online soon.

^"It just makes everybody^'s job a lot easier,^" he said.

The Wise County Youth Fair Association board consists of 17 other members besides Mr. Culpepper, and he said that any president must have a good board to work with, and he has one.

He also credits the organization^'s secretary Liz Hubbard as a big help and being ^"real good at what she does."

But his wife said of her husband that with his years of experience and working with the livestock and the youth, they have all helped him to be as successful as he has been as president.

"I hope that I^'m doing a good job as a leader on our youth fair board. I would have never taken the job if I didn^'t think I could," Mr. Culpepper said.

Culpepper Ancestry: Evan is Evan Alexander Culpepper IV (#4132).