Bob and Patty Marlette named Boyceville Cucumber Festival Grand Marshals
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GRAND MARSHALS BOB & PATTY MARLETTE
By LeAnn R. Ralph
BOYCEVILLE — Bob and Patty Marlette are this year’s Grand Marshals for the Boyceville Cucumber Festival from August 19 to August 21.
The Grand Parade will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Their duties as Grand Marshals will include “welcoming everyone to the 2022 Pickle Fest and representing the great community we have, plus any duties the CAC (Community Action Club) or Tillie ask us to,” Patty said.
When asked if the Marlettes were surprised to be selected as Grand Marshals for the Cucumber Festival, “surprised” might be a bit of an understatement.
“We were VERY surprised to be asked to be the 2022 Grand Marshals. Tillie phoned us at home, and we did not really know what to say because were so shocked!” Patty said.
“When Tillie called and asked, we didn’t know what to say because it was such a surprise,” Bob said.
“We feel very honored to be asked,” Patty said.
As a married couple, the Marlettes have lived on East Street in Boyceville for more than 42 years.
Bob grew up in Boyceville and graduated from Boyceville High School in 1972. He is the eldest of four children born to Doris (Hart) and Lloyd Marlette. His first sister, Shirley, died at birth, and sister, Brenda, and brother, Brian, also were raised in Boyceville.
Patty grew up in Elk Mound as a Mounder and graduated from Elk Mound High School in 1973.
Elk Mound’s colors are black and orange.
“Purple was my favorite color growing up, so it was only fitting that I became a Boyceville Bulldog fan,” Patty said.
She is the sixth child out of 13 born to Eva (Rudahl) and Lawrence (Duke) Mousel, with nine girls and four boys in the family.
Patty worked for more than 40 years at 3M in Menomonie and St. Paul and also worked two years in the Boyceville school district.
Patty retired from 3M in 2019.
Bob worked at Andersen Windows in Bayport, Minnesota, for more than 20 years and retired in 2018.
In the early years, he worked for many local farms and then worked for Hedlund Manufacturing.
The Marlettes have three children: Dewey, David and Katie. Dewey is married to Lisa, and they have two boys, Cooper and Dalton. They reside in the Boyceville school district. David lives in Arcadia, and Katie lives in Eau Claire.
“We so enjoyed all of the activities our three children participated in over the years, and now we enjoy watching our grandsons learn and grow,” Patty said.
Community
The Marlettes have been actively involved in public service over the years as well as many community events and activities.
Bob served on the Boyceville Community Fire Department for more than 40 years and served on the ambulance service for more than 35 years.
“He started with the fire department while he was still in high school and actually drove the ambulance with Herb Dow in a station wagon on one of the first ambulance runs,” Patty said.
Over the years, Bob also has served on the Boyceville Village Board, worked with the Community Action Committee, and has been active with the Boy Scouts and music parents and has served as a church usher.
Patty has taught CCD classes (a religious education program of the Catholic Church) for more than 20 years, has served as a lector, was very involved during the years their children were in school with the Music Parents Association and with fund raising, which included what actually started the very successful annual Spirit of Christmas celebration in Boyceville.
Softball
While Bob and Patty have both enjoyed softball and bowling over the years, it was through softball that Patty met Bob.
Patty noted that some of Bob’s classmates and old friends also know him as “Carl,” and that Patty is known by old school friends and softball friends as “Putts.”
“My two roommates from
Menomonie and I played softball with the D&K girls’ softball team, playing in many tournaments,” Patty said.
“Bob was a base umpire during one of the tournaments and gave what I thought were the poorest calls imaginable!” she said.
“But, I was told he was a very good dancer, and after many outings at Pine Point with ‘The Memories’ among others, as they say, ‘the rest is history,’” Patty said.
Nowadays, the Marlettes enjoy going to auction sales, camping, road trips and visiting and spending time with family and friends.
Cucumber Festival
The best part about the Cucumber Festival is seeing old friends and spending time with family, Bob and Patty said.
The most memorable thing that happened at a Boyceville Cucumber Festival was meeting Andy Pafko.
“He was a great guy,” Bob said.
Another memorable part of the Cucumber Festival was “having my daughter, Katie, be Junior Miss Boyceville in 1999-2000,” he said.
“We were able to help represent Boyceville at 20 plus town celebrations and parades,” Patty said.
There was also driving the fire trucks over the years with the Marlette children in the Boyceville parade and in parades in other communities.
Bob and Patty noted that the Boyceville Cucumber Festival has changed somewhat over the years.
“Years ago we had rides and more games for the kids. A number of the food stands have changed, and not having a coronation seems different, too,” Patty said.
“And most of all, we have lost some very special people who started the Cucumber Festival,” Bob said.
“But it is such a special time to renew old friendships as well as create new owns. And especially to reflect and reminisce about the many who are no longer with us that also so enjoyed and helped start this community celebration. This part remains the same!” Patty said.
“We hope to see many people enjoying all the festivities that will be going on throughout the weekend and see what a great town Boyceville really is,” Bob said.
