La Crosse Tribune,
October 1, 2005 . . .
Keeping the
Festmaster's
secret: Was it
easy or hard?
By Autumn Grooms
La Crosse Fire
Chief Pete
Stinson was
congratulated at
Mayor John
Medinger's
retirement
party.
The only problem
was, he had no
idea why.
A month later,
Stinson got a
call, asking if
he would
represent the
45th annual
Oktoberfest as
its Festmaster.
Stinson
discussed the
commitment with
his wife, Sally,
and said he was
"very excited"
to accept the
position he
never thought of
having.
"It is quite
humbling. I just
don't know what
to say," Stinson
said. "It is
just an honor,
probably the
best honor a
person who grew
up in La Crosse
could have."
2005 Festmaster
Pete Stinson and
Frau Sally
Friends often
told Stinson
he'd be
Festmaster
someday, but it
never fazed the
lifelong La
Crosse resident
who first began
his Oktoberfest
involvement in
1984.
"I never thought
about it,"
Stinson said.
In the week to
come, Stinson is
looking forward
to visits to
schools, day
cares and
nursing homes he
and other fest
personalities
will be making.
The Stinsons met
when they were
12 years old,
and Pete picked
his future wife
up on a bicycle.
They graduated
from Aquinas
High School and
raised three
children, Todd,
Kristie and
Tracie, in La
Crosse. They
have five
grandchildren,
Althea, Noah,
Hunter, Andrea
and Coyote.
Sally retired
from Trane Co.
in May, and Pete
will retire at
the end of
February after
31 years with
the La Crosse
Fire Department,
including about
the last 10 as
chief.
Stinson's
community
involvement
includes six
years on the
United Way
campaign
cabinet,
culminating his
service as
campaign
chairman. He was
on the Red Cross
board of
directors for
six years and
served as
president of the
board. He was a
Downtown
Rotarian and a
Paul Harris
Fellow; served
on several
Western
Wisconsin
Technical
College advisory
groups and was
an adjunct
instructor there
for 10 years.
Stinson served
La Crosse County
on the 911
Governing Board
and various
emergency
planning
committees. He
served the
American Heart
Association, the
Medary Land Use
Committee and
the La Crosse
Area
Labor-Management
Council.
Plans were made
for the
Stinson's
grandchildren to
walk in the
Maple Leaf
parade for the
first time with
the fire
department
today.
But with the
surprise honor,
they now will be
riding on the
Oktoberfest
float.
