Keith and Jo Anne Sash, the 2026 Gladbrook Corn Carnival Parade Grand Marshals, pictured on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026, at All Veterans Memorial Park in Gladbrook. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

GLADBROOK — Always a parade chairman but never a parade marshal — until this year, that is!

In an exciting twist, the Gladbrook Corn Carnival Committee has named Keith and Jo Anne Sash as the grand marshals of the 2026 Grand Parade set for this Friday, June 12, at 6:30 p.m. Keith recently stepped down from chairing the parade committee after more than four decades at the helm.

“The Corn Carnival Committee selected Keith and Jo Anne Sash to be the 2026 Corn Carnival Grand Marshals because of their dedication and service to Gladbrook,” committee member Meghan Gienger told the newspaper on behalf of the full committee. “We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation for their commitment, time, effort and contributions they have given over the years.”

Keith was born in Marshalltown and lived in Laurel for about the first 10 years of his life before moving in 1952 with his parents and sister Corrine to the family farm located between Gladbrook and Traer. Jo Anne (née Gienger), a lifelong Tama County resident, was also born in Marshalltown and grew up on the family farm located five miles east of Gladbrook alongside her two brothers, Allen and Denny.

Both Sashes are proud Gladbrook High School Class of 1961 graduates. They married in 1964, farming together until moving to town in 2003. They are the parents of three children, including Lynne Sash of Gladbrook; Stacey (Rhett) Schildroth of North Liberty; and Craig (Autumn) Sash of rural Traer. The Sashes also have seven grandchildren, including Iowa State University graduate Samantha Schildroth (24) of Ankeny; Sage Schildroth (22), an engineering student at Iowa State; and Craig and Autumn’s five children — Easton (16), Taelyn (15), Casein (14), Dayton (13), and Dawson (13) Sash.

Craig and Autumn’s children are all students at GMG Community School District where they are involved in sports, 4-H, and many other activities. They also help their parents out on the farm, the same farm their grandparents called home for nearly four decades before moving to Gladbrook.

A deciding factor in choosing Keith and Jo Anne as this year’s Corn Carnival Grand Marshals was the sheer volume of volunteer roles and leadership positions they have collectively taken on over the years in Tama County, Meghan Gienger said.

Through the years, Keith has served as a Tama County Supervisor (eight years); the Mayor of Gladbrook (two terms); and on both the Gladbrook and Gladbrook-Reinbeck school boards (14 years total). He was also a member of the Gladbrook Jaycees (JCI), earning the JCI Senatorship award — the highest individual honor bestowed upon JCI members. He is an active member of the Gladbrook Lions Club, the Tama County Pork Producers, and the Tama County Cattlemen’s Association.

Jo Anne has been involved in the Gladbrook Women’s Club and the ALPHA Study Club. She has served as secretary of the Tama County Pork Producers for many years, while also volunteering with Matchstick Marvels and the Gladbrook Theater. She has also served on the Gladbrook Public Library Board.

The Sashes are members of the Gladbrook Methodist Church where Keith serves as a trustee. Both have also been extremely active with the Tama County Fair, including 4-H, and were involved in Sash Auction Service for 30 years.

“Corn Carnival is a tradition with us and many families in the area. Many class reunions are held at this time and it’s always nice to see old friends,” Jo Anne told the newspaper. “We are excited to be Grand Marshals … Hopefully, our family will be walking the parade route with us although Easton and Taelyn will be riding as they both recently had knee surgery following sports injuries.”

When asked to describe the community they’ve called home for most of their lives, Jo Anne replied, “We enjoy living in Gladbrook with many friends and family nearby. Gladbrook is a small community where kids are safe to walk to their friends’ (houses) and are able to participate in Corn Carnival and other activities and still feel safe.”

During this year’s Corn Carnival Grand Parade, Keith and Jo Anne will be riding in style in the back of their black 1972 Mercury Cougar convertible — a car they’ve owned for more than four decades, Keith told the newspaper, after purchasing it when one of their daughters turned 16. Their son Craig will be at the wheel, as long as he’s not whisked away on a fire call.

After serving on the Corn Carnival Committee and as the parade chairman for 46 years, Keith has certainly earned a spot at the front of the line alongside his sweetheart Jo Anne.

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S, Keith and Jo Anne! Thank you for your unwavering dedication and countless contributions to not only Gladbrook but communities throughout Tama County (and beyond!).

*Editor’s Note: This story is publishing online ahead of this Friday’s print edition of the Sun Courier.