ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Leon S. Peters, president of the Lehigh County Agricultural Society, the nonprofit owner and operator of the Allentown Fairgrounds and The Great Allentown Fair, died Saturday in Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Peters was elected president of the society by its members in August. Prior to being elected president of the society, he served on the executive committee and was treasurer since 2012. He was the society’s librarian for two years before becoming treasurer.

Society Executive Committee Chairman-CEO Beverly Gruber remarked, “The society has lost one of its most fervent supporters and his ability to raise funds for relevant causes will be missed. The executive committee and board of directors will greatly miss his leadership.”

A community stalwart throughout his lifetime, Peters became involved in the society in 1978 as a director after former fair president William Harris Jr encouraged him to join the agricultural society and lend his financial expertise.

Peters worked closely with The Great Allentown Fair Foundation in its early months to get the foundation on sound footing. He collaborated with the foundation on the foundation’s inaugural capital campaign of renovating and illuminating the cupola atop the Martin F. Ritter Grandstand Building on the Allentown Fairgrounds.

He was surprised this year at The Great Allentown Fair as the recipient of the Friend of the Fair award, presented by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Each year this award is given to an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership, volunteerism, community engagement and dedication to their fair.

Peters was involved in the brokerage business in the Lehigh Valley for over 40 years and retired from Morgan Stanley in 2010. For the past 18 years he was a member of the Lehigh County Assessment Appeals Board.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Schmoyer Funeral Home in Fogelsville.

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