Retired physician aims for another winning pie at Grange Fair

Leigh Wheeler’s favorite thing about baking pies is giving them away.

He retired in December as a family physician, but before that he had made 300 to 400 pies during his career for his patients when they turned 80 or 90.

He started doing that about 30 years ago.

“Who doesn’t like a pie?” he said.

In May, Wheeler competed in the American Pie Council’s national amateur pie baking championship in Orlando, Fla., winning first place for a cherry pie and second place for a blueberry pie.

The pies there were “amazingly elaborate,” Wheeler said, describing his pies as “very plain.”

“These people bring their A game,” he said. “I’m just bringing pie. You know it’s like, ‘Here’s my pie. This is what works for me.’ And I won, which was just astounding.”

He’s participated in the fruit pie contest at Memorial Day in Boalsburg for more than 20 years with his family. In the past two years, he’s won two blue ribbons at Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair.

This year at the fair, he’s taking an apple pie.

“I’m going all out on just one pie,” Wheeler said.

To prepare for the competition, he said he’ll make one or two test pies.

Wheeler said pie bakers like Essie Miller, of Shingletown; Connie Hile, of Centre Hall; and Don Myers, of State College, are the heart and soul of Grange Fair.

Wheeler considers himself a newcomer.

The community part of the Grange Fair is just the most fun, he said.

This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 8:30 AM with the headline "Retired physician aims for another winning pie at Grange Fair."