Schumacher named grand marshal for Clear Lake’s 2026 Fourth of July celebration

CLEAR LAKE — For Beth Ann Schumacher, being named grand marshal of Clear Lake’s 2026 Fourth of July Celebration is an honor she’s still trying to process.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Schumacher said. “I always think about people who are really important getting to do that job. I don’t think of myself as important. I’m just Beth Ann.”

The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce selected Schumacher for the role, recognizing her decades of service as an educator and her deep involvement in the community.

This year’s celebration, set for July 1–6, is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors and will carry the theme “America 250,” commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.

“With this year’s ‘America 250’ theme, we wanted to recognize someone who has done so much to preserve and share the stories of our community,” said Chamber Events Director Trish Fundermann.

A lifelong educator

Schumacher has spent nearly her entire life in Clear Lake, moving to the community as an infant when her father helped design the city’s original sanitary sewer system.

A 1972 graduate of Clear Lake High School, she went on to earn degrees in history and political science from the University of Northern Iowa before beginning a teaching career that spanned nearly four decades.

She taught in Iowa schools starting in 1977 and spent 35 years in the Clear Lake Community School District, where she became known for bringing history to life in the classroom.

Schumacher also helped establish a student trip to Washington, D.C., a program that continues today, and expanded travel opportunities for students to other destinations.

“If that’s a legacy I’m proud of, it’s that I was able to take so many students to places they might never have gotten to otherwise,” she said.

Beyond the classroom, she led activities such as Mock Trial, National History Day and Model United Nations. In 2013, she was named Educator of the Year by the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.

Deep roots in the Fourth of July tradition

Schumacher’s connection to Clear Lake’s Fourth of July celebration runs deep.

As a student, she marched in the parade as a percussionist, and her family centered the holiday around parades, cookouts and fireworks.

One of her favorite childhood memories includes watching fireworks from atop the city’s water plant, thanks to her father’s work.

“We got to do that for years and years and that felt really, really special,” she said.

The celebration also played a pivotal role in her personal life. It was during the 1979 festivities that she formed a lasting connection with her late husband, Mark.

“We didn’t take a single ride,” she said. “We just walked and talked.”

The couple married the following year and later raised two daughters, continuing the family’s Fourth of July traditions for generations.

Continuing to serve

Even in retirement, Schumacher remains active in the community. She has served on the Clear Lake City Council since 2024 and is director of the Clear Lake History Museum.

She also serves as president and education coordinator of the Clear Lake Historical Society and is involved in several leadership roles at Zion Lutheran Church.

“I’m learning to decide what I really love,” Schumacher said. “I love my work at church, I love City Council and I love history.”

Schumacher has also authored and contributed to multiple publications on local history, helping preserve the stories of the community she calls home.

Leading the parade

Schumacher will lead the Independence Day parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, in downtown Clear Lake. The event is expected to draw thousands of spectators.

Though she never sought recognition, Schumacher said the honor is meaningful.

“A lot of what I do is just what needs to be done,” she said. “I don’t do it to be noticed but because I have a desire to serve.”

She describes the celebration as something uniquely local.

“We’re a hometown parade, and we like to celebrate our community,” Schumacher said. “It’s just fun. You’re sitting on the curb with your neighbors, watching the parade, and enjoying all the things.”