2022 Box Elder County Fair Grand Marshal

This year’s Box Elder County Fair Grand Marshals, Junior and Cherre Lish, are the quintessential Box Elder County residents: hardworking, helpful, kind, and service-oriented. They are part of what makes Box Elder so remarkable. They love the area, love the people, and love where life has taken them.

Since 1967, Junior Lish has owned and operated his own business, buying grain from farmers in northern Utah and southern Idaho, and operating a grain elevator and storage business, Junior Lish and Sons.

In the 55 years since, Junior, and his wife, Cherre, and their children, have grown deep roots and lasting relationships that go beyond business with the agricultural community in Box Elder County. Those roots and relationships also led to more than 40 years of dedicated support for the Box Elder County Fair junior livestock program and Auction. “We’ve always gone to the fair. It’s been a part of our lives forever,” said Cherre.

Junior and Cherre have a real affection for the youth who dedicate themselves to raising and showing their animals, which is part of the reason they have been willing to dedicate more than four decades to the Junior Livestock Auction. “There was one year that a kid couldn’t get a bid on his animal at the Junior Livestock Auction and he [Junior] bought it,” recalled Brian Lish, Junior’s second son.

After the auction, Junior and Cherre love to go dance to Harry Sherman’s music. Both Junior and Cherre were both born and raised in Box Elder County. Junior grew up in Deweyville and Cherre grew up in Tremonton. They met and fell in love at Bear River High School, and were married Aug. 27, 1952, in Battle Mountain, Nevada. The couple will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary three days after this year’s Box Elder County Fair parade. Junior and Cherre have eight children: Drew, Brian (wife, Susan), Mark (wife, Stephanie), Kristie (husband, Jeff Roche), Shawn (wife, Michelle), Ginger (husband, Craig Holmgren), Wade (wife, Camie), and Heidi. Over the years, the Lish children have given their parents numerous “gifts,” as Junior and Cherre lovingly call their 31 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren, and six step- grand and great-grandchildren.

Junior’s five sons have joined him in running the business: three run the grain elevator in Garland and two drive the trucks, often doing business and building relationships with the grandchildren of some of Junior Lish’s original clients. The business is going strong, Junior said. In addition to running a successful business and supporting the next generation of Box Elder County farmers and ranchers at the fair, Junior also spent many years serving the community on the city council and the hospital board. Cherre also worked in the family business as Junior’s secretary for years. She was also interested and active in theater, and performed in a show called “My Name is Emma” for decades. However, she said her favorite role is supporting her husband and children. They are both also active members in The Church of Jesus of Latter- day Saints and have served in many callings over the years.