2022 Hall of Sponsors

2022 HALL

of SPONSORS

Carolyn Perry, ’66; Tad Perry, ’65; Julie Massie; Board Chair Nancy Peacock, ’82; Laura Perry Massie, ’62; Anne Massie; Christopher Link; and President Roger Drake.

President Roger Drake, scholarship recipient Alden Senor, Morgan Montgomery, Jina Daniel, John Daniel, Emma Montgomery, Julie Daniel, Barbara Montgomery, and Board Chair Nancy Peacock, ’82.

President Roger Drake; John Thurmon, ’10; Barb Thurmon; Greg Thurmon, ’77; Marylou Thurmon; and Board Chair Nancy Peacock, ’82. President Roger Drake; Caryn Jeffries, ’13; Carolyn Perry, ’66;

President Roger Drake; Mark Harbison, ’76; Nan Young, ’76; Sarah Morrow, ’71;

President Roger Drake; Board Chair Nancy Peacock, ’82; and Mardi and Ted House, ’81.

recipient Adalia Sewell; Murphy Quint; Board Chair Nancy Peacock, ’82; and Barb Heikoff, ’82.

Daryl Jefferies; Rev. Bill O’Neal; and Board Chair Nancy Peacock, ’82.

Joe Montgomery, ’84 – The Ultimate Fund Raiser

When Joe Montgomery, ’84, passed away, his family wanted desperately to honor his legacy with a scholarship at Central Methodist University. But none of the family members were natural fundraisers. How were they going to pull it off?

Little did they know that the work was practically done in advance. By Joe himself. The Joe Montgomery Memorial Nursing Hall of Sponsors Scholarship would become a reality.

He really didn’t raise a penny, but Joe Montgomery had a magnetic way of earning trust. He was a nurse who was known for his openness, honesty and compassion, sprinkled with humor, warmth and humanity. People sought him out. His reputation preceded him.

“The ultimate fund raiser was Joe himself,” said Greg Peters, Joe’s brother-in-law. “When he passed, friends, high school classmates, patients, doctors, bike riding buddies all crawled out of the woodwork to help.”

Raley “Joe” Montgomery died Sept. 27, 2021 at his home in Columbia after losing a battle with glioblastoma. He had come into his nursing career later than most, but as Peters says, “he truly found his calling.” Joe loved helping people, whether it was on the job in the hospital, serving as a medic on numerous Bike Across Kansas vacations, or fielding late-night calls from relatives with sick kids seeking his expert advice.

Peters and Joe’s wife, Barb, were the catalysts raising money for the Joe Montgomery Memorial Nursing Scholarship, established to honor his memory at his alma mater. Joe had found his true calling and worked as a registered nurse at the University of Missouri Hospital for 20 years, then at Truman VA Medical Center for seven more years.

“Joe was somebody who didn’t know a stranger,” Barb said. “He went out of his way to make friends and connect with people. He just had a way of being personable and showing his care for people.”

Setting up the scholarship was so important to Barb, Peters, and the family that they requested a Zoom meeting with the recipient, who learned about who Joe really was. The recipient also learned that she had inherited a second family after they offered to help her in any way possible.

“Our family Zoom twice a week started during COVID,” Barb said. “So we invited her and she accepted.”

The scholarship is funded by family and friends, and the ideal candidate is a student who has dedicated themselves to a career in nursing but could use a hand up to complete their degree. This is a person who possesses the desire to overcome adversity, the heart to champion the cause of each patient, and the grace to meet every challenge with compassion and humility.

Sarah Bee Mounter Scholarship

Sara Bee Crigler Mounter was a trailblazer for her family. Born and raised in Fayette, Mo., she was the first of 11 family members to attend Central College, Central Methodist College, or Central Methodist University. Following high school, she entered Central College in 1924 and earned an associate’s degree in 1926. After graduation, Sarah Bee married the love of her life, Clyde Mounter, and continued to take classes in her spare time in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. The world changed when the Great Depression began. Extra money for tuition was no longer available, and Sara Bee put her educational dreams on hold, always planning to return. Times were hard. Sara Bee and Clyde lived with her parents and worked so they could make ends meet. Sarah Bee’s degree in education from Central

College allowed her to secure a teaching position at Richland School, a oneroom school house that is still standing today south of Glasgow on Hwy. 87.

Each Sunday, Sarah Bee would ride her horse 12 miles to Richland School to teach through the week, staying with families in the area until she could return home on Friday to be with her husband. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, it was rare for women to be educated as well as a provider. Hard times bring out the character in people, and

Sarah Bee did what was needed to take care of her family. Her income was important, and it allowed her family to have the basics until the economy improved. Following the Great Depression and the birth of her first child, Sarah Bee assumed a more traditional role and became a homemaker. From time to time, with a distant look in her eye, she would talk about how she always thought she would go back to college and complete her bachelor’s degree. Although she didn’t, she had no regrets. She used her passion for education to ensure her children and grandchildren understood the importance of getting a college degree. She always asked her grandchildren if they were “getting your studies.” She was always available to assist with homework, complete with homemade cookies and milk, and always had a way of making studying fun. Her grandchildren were always excited to take their grade cards to show her their progress.

From a very young age, she would talk to her grandchildren about going to college and how important their studies were to ensure they could go. Sarah Bee was never far from a school. Living less than a block from the original L.J. Daly School in Fayette, she decided to continue her education by serving in the cafeteria following the death of her husband. She enjoyed nine years serving and caring for students there – all of the students knew her because she always had a smile and a wink as they walked through the serving line. Her granddaughters thought it was cool that their grandmother worked in the cafeteria. Sarah Bee’s emphasis and encouragement left an amazing legacy. Of her two sons, five grandchildren, and two college-aged great-grandchildren, the family has three doctoral degrees, two master’s degrees, two bachelor’s degrees, and one associate’s degree. These results reflect her passion for and commitment to education. James and Mary (Mounter) Lay, Ethan and Molly Lay, and Nick Lay are proud to endow a Hall of Sponsors Scholarship in memory of Sarah Bee

Mounter for students who have a demonstrated financial need and a degree path of education or business. 24 The Talon | Fall 2022

Harryette J. Campbell Scholarship

The Harryette J. Campbell Permanently Endowed Scholarship was funded by Harryette J. Campbell. The preference is for a student in good standing at Central Methodist University. This scholarship is a perfect example of how one can make a tremendous impact on the lives of generations of Central students through an estate gift. CMU celebrates Harryette Campbell for her generosity and foresight to make an significant difference in the lives of others and the Central legacy.

Susan Markland Donnelly Scholarship

Susan Donnelly is a 1970 education graduate of Central Methodist from Armstrong, Mo. She has a master’s in educational administration. Susan taught for 31 years, 30 in Fayette, teaching elementary and middle school, and she also served as the high school librarian. She has owned and managed rental properties, sold real estate, run an antique shop, and served for many years on the local library board.

Susan has two sons and five grandchildren, and she remains busy with bridge, PEO, and various activities around Fayette. She currently services as vice president of the Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art and enjoys attending some of the many events at Central Methodist University. The Susan Markland Donnelly Hall of Sponsors Scholarship is funded by Mrs. Susan Markland Donnelly. The scholarship is for a declared education major with preference given to someone from Howard County.

Robert A. Sr. and D. Joan (Fulbright) Knight Scholarship

Robert and Joan Knight were both born and raised in south central Missouri, where they resided for most of their lives. Each was born to a schoolteacher; in fact, Bob’s mother taught Joan’s mother in school, sending Joan’s mother on a career path that would culminate in almost 50 years of teaching elementary school.

With that educational foundation in their lives, Bob and Joan moved on to postsecondary degrees and each served in education in various capacities throughout their careers. Bob was a teacher, principal, and administrator, as well as being a long-tenured member of the Missouri and later the National Society of School Business Officials. Joan was a teacher and administrator of the local Headstart program for more than 30 years and a long-time participant in Kappa Kappa Iota, a national society organized for the promotion of education.

Education was an important focus for them in the lives of their four children and 10 grandchildren, and the Knights modeled lifelong learning for their family by continuing their education well into adulthood.

The scholarship, funded by Jacquelynn Knight Richmond, ’83, is for a student from south central Missouri with a preference for students from Pulaski, Camden, or LaClede counties. The student should be a declared English or education major with a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher, with a preference for a member of the United Methodist Church.

Edward R. Jr. and Linda Richmond Scholarship

Ed and Linda Richmond of Memphis, Tennessee were both born and raised in the mid-south. Ed spent more than 40 years in various aspects of the real estate and development industry. He was also an avid outdoorsman, enjoying many hunting and fishing experiences near home and abroad. In addition to caring for home and family, Linda participated in the Garden Club and remains a very active member of her church. She has volunteered in many educationfocused programs, including substitute teaching, tutoring, and other literacy initiatives. The Richmonds supported and encouraged both their children and grandchildren to value education, and not surprisingly, one grandchild has now gone into education.

Christ Methodist in Memphis is the church home for the Richmonds, where Ed became a charter member 67 years ago. Linda joined one year prior to their marriage of 62 years, and they continue to provide generous support there. Ed and Linda are charity-minded and support a number of causes caring for vulnerable populations and for the environment. Two of their favorites are St. Jude Children’s Hospital and The Baddour Center.

As Linda Richmond shared, “My father died when I was still in high school. My mother had never worked outside the home, so there was no money for me to go to college. I moved to Memphis, took a job, and went to school at night. After a couple of years, I married a man who paid for the rest of my education. He called it an ‘insurance policy’ in case we had children and if, for some reason, he wasn’t able to support the family, I would be able to do that. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. He is still with us and is helping our grandchildren pay their college tuition.

“Maybe because of my experience, I have always wanted to help someone else get a higher education. Through my daughter-in-law’s endowment honoring my husband and me, that dream is finally coming true. It is also nudging me to help someone graduate from my small, hometown high school.”

The scholarship, funded by Jacquelynn Knight Richmond, ’83, is for a student from the mid-south region, with a preference for students from the Memphis metropolitan area and Millington, Tenn. The student should be a declared English major with a 3.0 GPA who is active in high school or their community and preferably a member of the Methodist church.