Longtime Osage County residents Fred and Pat Pearson have been selected by the Osage City Chamber of Commerce as Mr. and Mrs. Osage City for 2019.

Fred was born and raised on a farm near Miller, Kan. He attended Kansas State University 1959 to 1963, and studied agricultural education. He met Pat during college. Pat grew up on a farm near Manhattan, Kan.

“My father wanted someone in the family to farm and he was pleased to find out that Fred and I planned to marry,” Pat said.

Fred and Pat were married in 1963. From 1963 to 1968, Fred taught vocational agriculture at Burlingame and Pat taught grade school at Osage City. Pat retired from teaching to take care of her grandchildren and help as needed around the farm.

The first ground Fred and Pat bought was in 1966. Also that year, Fred and his father, Earl, started the Miller Elevator. The young couple purchased 240 acres and moved to their current home in 1969.

Fred and Pat’s family includes son, Clark, his wife, Bobbi, and their son, Max; son, Jim, his wife, Dawn, and their children, Paige and Peyton; and son, Jeff. The Pearson family has farmed in the Osage City area for more than 145 years.

Fred and Pat said they felt very honored and appreciative for being selected and offered these words:

“We have had the honor, privilege and opportunity to live and work in the Osage City Community for over 51 years. This community has many advantages that we feel are intensely important to enjoying a pleasant life style.

“The excellent school system that is stable, progressive and effective was our greatest priority.

“The character of the people in this community has always contributed to a neat, clean and progressive community. Osage City has a history of many fine churches, clubs and organizations that enhance great citizenship.

“A good solid business community is very important to the well-being of any area and Osage City has been outstanding in this concept. We have been richly blessed by the opportunities in the cattle business, farming and the grain elevator business. We are confident that we could not have found a better community in which to live, work and enjoy life.”

The Pearsons will be honored guests and ride in the annual Osage County Fair Parade, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 12, 2019, along Market Street in Osage City, Kan.

Information thanks to the Osage City Chamber of Commerce.