State Fair's Fresh French Fries stand pays tribute to long-time worker who died of COVID

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. -- It's a tradition for many fairgoers to buy Fresh French Fries. But within the walls of that stand there's a lot of tradition happening among those who serve up the fries.

It's even more than that -- it's a family affair for sisters Allie and Lizzie Paterson.

"Our oldest brother started here almost 20 years ago, then he dragged his next two brothers in, and then we followed in suit and then our youngest sister also works here. So last Saturday we had all six of us working out here," they said.

Their longevity here doesn't come close to the record. Tom Annunziata -- now spending his 45th year at the fair -- was just 15 when he started his tenure at the fry stand.

"Sometimes when I couldn't get a ride home, I slept in the park. They have showers at the water tower for the 4-H kids, so I would get a shower, come down here and work," he said.

What's kept him coming back every summer is the people who have become family.

"I've watched the kids grow up, now the kids have kids. It's a separate family," he said.

Timmy Wozniak is one of those kids that grew up at the stand, with his three siblings and dozens of cousins as coworkers.

"We're almost teetering on the third generation of fryers and workers out here," he said.

But when you work with those you love so long, eventually there's a goodbye. Myron Biros worked every State Fair at the fresh French fries stand since 1980. He contracted COVID-19 along with several other health complications and died last November at 89.

Because he sported a curly mustache every fair and took pride in that, Biros' signature look is now visible on every employee's sleeve this year.

In full disclosure, WCCO's Marielle Mohs worked as a server at the booth the summer of 2008.