East Aurora Advertiser

Obituary: Russell Marquart, Dedicated Career to Agricultural Fairs, Beloved Brother


Russell Marquart

July 25, 1956-April 20, 2022

Russell Marquart, a resident of Elma and East Aurora died on  Wednesday, April 20. He was 65.

Mr. Marquart, known as Russ to friends and family, was born July 25, 1956, the youngest of three sons of Clayton and Betty (nee Lexo) Marquart.

Mr. Marquart graduated from East Aurora High School in 1974. He was a member of the champion Blue Bomber swimming teams and participated in many musical and junior play productions, which he loved. He continued his education, graduating from Northwood Institute in Midland, Mich.

Mr. Marquart’s passion in life was his love of agricultural fairs and those who he fondly called “fair people.” He was a mentor to hundreds of people who shared his enthusiasm for fairs, whether they were working in a small, county fair or a state fair as exhibitors; performing musicians, celebrities and visiting national politicians; or starting up a new 4H club. Mr. Marquart helped them all with kindness, compassion, and a strict regime of hard work, performance and success. 

Mr. Marquart worked at various times in his life for the New York State Fair, the Anderson County Fair in South Carolina, and the NYSAAF; however, his real commitment was to the Erie County Fair sponsored by the Erie County Agricultural Society. It was consistently one of the top 10 Fairs in the United States, with frequently over a million people attending. Both sides of his family, Lexos and Marquarts, were active and maintained a legacy of service to the Erie County Fair, from which he retired after close to 40 years of service.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Marquart was predeceased by his brother Donald Marquart.

He is survived by his brother Bruce, niece Chloe Louise Marquart and many cousins from the Lexo and Marquart family. 

A memorial reception will be held at 10 am, on Sat., May 21 at the Erie County Fairgrounds Ag-Grange Building.

Floral donations are not encouraged, but donations can be made to the Boys & Girls Club of East Aurora’s Camp Ska-No-Ka-San by mailing to 24 Paine East Aurora, NY, 14052 or visiting www.bgcea.org.

Wood Funeral Home, 784 Main St., East Aurora, completed arrangements for the family and offers a site for online condolences at www.woodfh.com.

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