A fair retirement

Sharon Klein is not native to the area, but it didn’t take her long to get indoctrinated to the Steele County Free Fair.
After moving to Owatonna in 1976 from northern Minnesota for her husband’s job, she quickly learned about all the fuss around Minnesota’s largest county fair. Her first involvement with the fair was operating a food stand where she sold frozen-dipped bananas.
“I thought it was fascinating,” Klein said of the fair. “My kids would come to get money from me when I was working in the stand, go spend it and come back to get more,” she said with a smile.
In 2002, Klein accepted a part-time gig in the fair office while still working full time at Owatonna Parks and Recreation. Her boss at the time, Corky Ebeling, recruited her to also work at the fair. In the early years, she worked nights at the fair after working all day for the city.
About 10 years ago, Klein’s commitment to the fair became even greater. She worked year-round with 25 hours per week during the fall and winter months and 40-plus  hours during the spring and summer.
“She is one of the staples of the fair even before I came in,” said Scott Kozelka, fair manager. “She made my transition into fair manager a lot easier. She has always been there to help.”
After 46 years of public service with the last 19 at the fair, Klein is calling it quits, but with reservation. She has been forced into retirement because her husband, Jim, has been battling Alzheimer’s disease for the past three years.
“It’s God’s choice, not my choice,” Klein said, adding if it weren’t for her husband’s deteriorating condition, she wouldn’t be leaving.
The fair honored Klein with a special award at the appreciation dinner held two days before the fair began.
Dan Deml, the fair’s president, called Klein “plain dependable” and always knew exactly what was going on. “You just knew if Sharon was taking care of it, it got done right,” Deml said.
Klein tag-teamed with Deml’s wife, Vicky, in the fair office. The two worked together during Klein’s entire tenure.
Kozelka said he was surprised to see her leave but totally understands. “We always tell everyone family first,” he said.The most enjoyable part of working at the fair, Klein said, has been the people. “We are a family,” she said of her colleagues in the office. “We are all very close.”
She also enjoyed working with people in all areas associated with the fair. “It’s the people that make the fair what it’s,” Klein said. She added so many people were glad to have the fair back this year after missing 2020 because of COVID-19.
In recent years, Klein said everybody was so good to her when she often would have to leave on a moment’s notice to deal with her husband.
During her tenure with the fair, Klein handled the Barker newsletter, worked with all superintendents, compiled board minutes, handled correspondence as well as sponsorships and coordinated the fair’s mascots, Steely and Stella.
She worked under three managers while at the fair. Klein said each one of them was different
As she steps away from the fair, Klein hopes to take on more volunteer work within the community. “There are a lot of opportunities in town to volunteer,” she said.
She will also keep busy with eight grandsons and three great-grandchildren, all of who live in Owatonna.
There is one thing Klein is looking forward to next year. “I haven’t seen the fair in 19 years,” she said, adding when she comes to the fair next year, she plans to eat.