Page 58 Remembering Wilson Sparks and Kieth Hessey Wilson was Florida Federation of Fairs President in 1984, Kieth followed in 1985 The fair industry recently lost two great retired managers and


industry leaders. Kieth Hessey and T. Wilson Sparks both left their mark on the fair industry, each with his own personality and approach to success. Kieth was manager of the Broward County Fair during the


height of its success and went on to manage the State Fair of Virginia. He was the first guy to ask when you needed a great MC for any event. Some of Kieth's jokes are still remembered 40 years later! T. Wilson Sparks gave me my entry job in the fair industry at


the Florida State Fair in 1982. He took a very serious business approach to the industry. He started his fair career as assistant manager at the old


downtown Florida State Fair, went on to manage the Mid-South Fair in Memphis, and returned to the Florida State Fair at its current location in 1978. He helped turn the fledgling fair around. In 1988, he took on the challenge of developing the site and program of the Georgia National Fair. Tom Umiker


President 2016 / Hall of Fame 2018 Kieth always had a smile, always a funny joke. We


worked on many committees together and he always gave 100% no matter what it was. He was a good man I had great respect for Wilson Sparks, I remember


him from the Florida State Fair. He was a special man who was an asset to our industry. Martha Leverock President 1998 / Hall of Fame 2008


So sorry to hear of his passing. Mr.


Sparks was a mentor to many of us. His words of wisdom will be with me always. RIP Mr. Sparks. Alta Mosley President 2008 / Hall of Fame 2013


So sorry to hear about Mr. Sparks,


a great man who helped so many including Robinson’s Racing Pigs, you will always be in our hearts!!! Randall Ross


Two of the “giants” of


our industry! Kieth was a jokester


but he got the job done! I learned a lot from he and Darwin. They made it fun. Jack Griffith President 1997


Faircracker SPRING 2021


It was with deep regret that I heard of the loss of two of my great friends and fellow fair managers. I had known both thesemen


for over 40 years. Kieth had such a happy personality, always had a joke for you at a moments notice. I remember one year he was the Chairman of the Showcase committee for the Florida Federation of Fairs & Livestock shows. We


normally had 2 showcases at lunch and 2 to 3 acts at dinner. We were at the Florida State Fair for our evening meal for the conven- tion and Kieth had 13 acts for the dinner showcases. We were there from about 6pm to 1 am with only about 5 or 6 people left to watch them. I asked Kieth what was he thinking booking so many showcase for that night. He said they kept asking and I kept say- ing yes. Needless to say we never asked Kieth to handle the showcases again. Wilson Sparks, I have known since his days as manager at the Mid-South Fair in Memphis, TN and have followed his career


through numerous fairs and as CEO of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. I remember being invited to visit him as he was building that fair from the ground up and asked to join him again at the Grand


Opening of the brand new Georgia National Fair. It was very exciting to be there and see what he had developed. Wilson had so many years of fair expertise that he was more than willing to share with anyone. These men are a great loss to our fair industry. Patsy Brooks


President 1996 / Hall of Fame 1998 Kieth Hessey was an amazing man. He hired


me as Production Manager at the State Fair of Virginia so very many years ago. He gave me an opportunity that changed my life in so many ways. One of the most enduring ways is that he introduced me to Dennis Lee—the beginning of what has become a lifelong friendship. Both of these men mean the world to me and always will. The best of the best. Betty Wilkes Betty Wilkes Photography Vero Beach, Florida


I counted these two good men as dear, dear friends. Wilson was IAFE Exec-


utive Director when a national movement picketed several Fairs. Wilson start- ed with the Attorney General and went all the way to the Supreme Court to have the group stopped. Wilson loved to fish and he and I fished many times in my boat down here in South Florida. Kieth and I go way back to when he was manager of the Broward County


Fair. Looking for a change I recommended him to the State Fair of Virginia, he was happy there but also happy to get back to Florida and settle in Sebring. He was a very good speaker, a great sense of humor and a great outlook on life. We talked just about every week up until a few days before he died. I miss my dear friend. Darwin Fuchs President 1978-9 / Hall of Fame 1994


Kieth and I were both fair managers and


very good friends. He was a wonderful soul who spread laughter and joy wherever he was. I miss him so. Gary Goodman, Manager-Retired South Carolina State Fair


Editor’s Note: Wilson, Kieth and Darwin had something in common. They are all members of the IAFE Hall of Fame. Wilson in 1985, Darwin in 1994 and Kieth in 2002.


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