Family and friends gathered in northwest Iowa today to honor a local businessman and philanthropist who helped save the Arnolds Park amusement park from the wrecking ball.
Toby Shine of Milford died Friday at the age of 82. Shine went to work at his family’s scrap metal business in Spencer in 1960 and later became its president and owner. Herman Richter, co-owner of the Three Sons clothing store in Milford, knew Shine well. “There’s no question Toby was the epitome of ‘let a leader lead the way.’ What a guy!” Richter said.
Richter credits Shine with spearheading a regional approach to economic development and the result is the Iowa Great Lakes Corridor, that promotes the four counties around Iowa’s largest natural lakes. “Once he was involved, it was going to get done,” Richter said, with a laugh. “What a great guy and leader, and led by example and (he was) incredibly generous. There wasn’t anything that Toby wouldn’t write you a check for. The area, the region, the whole state’s going to miss that guy.”
In 1999, Sue Richter of Milford worked with Shine to save the region’s amusement park, which developers planned buy, demolish and build condos on the property. “We needed to raise $5.2 million in only six weeks,” she said. “Through his leadership and the kindness and generosity of our community, in the end we raised $7.25 million and the park was, indeed, saved.”
Shine had served on the Advisory Board of the Chicago Federal Reserve. He also served on the Spencer City Council and later on Wahpeton’s City Council. The Shine Brothers Corporation in Spencer was the site of the memorial gathering for Shine earlier this afternoon.
(By George Bower, KICD, Spencer)