When the 2012 Marion Popcorn Festival Orville Redenbacher Parade steps off at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 6, a Marion County icon will be at its helm. Trella Romine, local historian and nature advocate, has been tapped as the 2012 Grand Marshal.
Romine, who will be 97 this November, has led a remarkable life. Born in 1915 to Ray and Ivaloo (Sheneman) Hemmerly, Romine graduated from Marion Harding High School in 1933. She had two children, Kathi and David, with her first husband, W. C. Haldeman, whom she married in 1938; and founded Terradise with her second husband Ray Romine in 1953.
After buying it from her father, Romine owned and operated Hemmeryly’s Flowers and Gifts for nearly 30 years before selling the business to a long-time employee.
She helped found the Marion County Historical Society in 1969 and still serves as a volunteer there to this day. Romine also served as a member of the board of trustees of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums for 10 years, including four years as president. In recognition of her leadership and volunteer activities, Romine has received numerous awards, including the Tiffin Award of the Ohio Historical Society and the 2011 Presidential Award for Volunteerism for more than 4,000 hours volunteering at the Marion County Historical Society.
Her work with nature is equally impressive as she helped found the Marion County Parks District, initiated the creation of the Terradise Nature Preserve along the Whetstone River, and was instrumental in establishing the Larry Yoder Prairie Nature Center at The Ohio State University at Marion … an 11-acre outdoor learning laboratory used to teach students about horticulture and the environment.
Romine also helped create the Marion Campus Prairie Nature Education Center Endowment to maintain the preserve; and in 2010, she established the Trella Hemmerly Romine/Howard W. Howser Endowment Scholarship Fund to further the education of students studying science at Ohio State. For these efforts, Romine was honored with a Distinguished Service award from The Ohio State University this year.
She’s written five books on local and family history, as well as edited a number of other historical manuscripts. Romine’s most recent endeavor was her own autobiography, “My Not So Ordinary Life.”
“We are truly honored,” said Mary Dutton, Marion Popcorn Festival Parade Chairman, “to have this extraordinary woman as our grand marshal. Trella was an independent business woman long before such things were the norm; and she is an inspiration on paying it forward while preservng the past for generations to come.”
Currently celebrating its 32nd year, the Marion Popcorn Festival is the largest popcorn festival in the world with an annual attendance estimated in excess of 250,000 over the three-day festival. Other events include a popcorn cooking contest, a fine art show, crafts, Popcorn 5000 5K run, Popcorn 100 bike tour, a community showcase stage, and more.
Main stage entertainment for 2012 includes The Ultimate Journey Xperience, a Journey tribute band on Thursday, September 6; country sensation Josh Thompson on Friday, September 7; and Boyz II Men on Saturday, September 8. For more information on the full slate of activities, or if you are interested in obtaining Kernel Seats for the entertainment, visit www.popcornfestival.com or call 740-387-FEST. The Marion Popcorn Festival is sponsored in part by the City of Marion.
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