In Memoriam

One of Central’s Oldest Alumni, Ruth Nickerson, Passes Away

Ruth F. Higginbotham Nickerson, ‘43, one of Central’s oldest living alumni, passed away peacefully in her Webster Groves, Mo. home on Saturday, March 5. Born February 18, 1920, Ruth’s 102 years were ones of independence, musical talent, sharp wit, devoted care for others, and generosity to many.

Born at Potosi Hospital, Ruth was the only living child of parents George Howard Higginbotham and Idabelle Smith. Educated in the Potosi schools, she lived through the depression, played on the women’s basketball team, and began her music studies. She graduated in 1938 and received a scholarship to Central Methodist College to study music and English. While there, she met and married W.T. (Tribby) Nickerson after her graduation. They moved to Texas, where Tribby obtained his ordination as a Methodist minister. Together, they served in several churches in Texas and Kansas City, Ruth singing and accompanying on piano or organ.

Ruth returned to St. Louis on her own in 1961, to begin a very successful career as a music teacher in private schools and as an organist for various congregations across the city. She was proud to have been given the privilege to play some of the most illustrious organs in the region. She was honored to sing with the St. Louis Metros. Ruth always considered Potosi home and often returned to visit close friends, Wilma Loomis, Mildred Cresswell Graff, Dorthy Ann Watson, and many Higginbotham cousins.

Ruth never forgot the importance of the music education opportunity Central Methodist College gave her and gave back to the school by endowing their music library on the Fayette campus. Her philanthropy extended to many non-profit organizations such as the Potosi Methodist Church, Souls Chapel Cemetery, and the new Potosi Towns Square project. She has been honored by both the Salvation Army and the Missouri Humane Society for her gifts. Volunteering for Meals on Wheels brought her great enjoyment after her retirement.

Traveling was a great passion of Ruth’s. She began traveling with her mother as well as her lifelong companion, her cousin Kathleen Sloan, on a three-week bus trip to California to visit family in 1933. Ruth traveled throughout the U.S., Europe, and North Africa, always making new friends and bringing home wonderful stories.

In Memoriam

1940s

Orpha M. Crowder Cox, ’42, of Prairie Village, Kan. died Jan. 23, 2022. Ruth Higginbotham Nickerson, ’43, of Webster Groves, Mo. died Mar. 5, 2022. Margaret E. Dennis Adams, ’46, of Chillicothe, Mo. died Jan. 1, 2022. Lois Read Elliott, ’46, of Saint Louis, Mo. died Mar. 6, 2022. Carolyn B Smith Jacob, ’48, of Columbia, Mo. died Dec. 6, 2021. Robert H. Easterday, ’49, of Leawood, Kan. died Oct. 12, 2021. Eileen Caldwell Byquist, ’50, of Salina, Kan. died Mar. 13, 2022. Shirley Jean Howell Clemons, ’50, of Bonne Terre, Mo. died Oct. 9, 2021. Lewis C. Odneal, ’52, of Prairie Home, Mo. died Mar. 20, 2022. Patricia Ann Letsinger Cerny, ’54, of Eureka, Mo. died Nov. 30, 2021. Mary A. Precht Lindsay, ’54, of Arlington, Wash. died Jan. 18, 2022. William J. Thorne, ’54, of Iowa City, Iowa died Feb. 24, 2022. Charles H. Moore, ’55, of Fayette, Mo. died Oct. 18, 2021. William H. Bunge Sr., ’56, of Independence, Mo. died Apr. 11, 2022. Joseph R. Bakewell, ’57, of Sumner, Texas died Feb. 1, 2022. Shirley Bond Hannah, ’57, of Mt. Dora, Fla. died Oct. 16, 2021. Shirley Tipton Summers, ’57, of Elgin, Ill. died Mar. 20, 2022. Philip D. Blakemore, ’58, of Holliday, Mo. died Nov. 24, 2021. James W. Snell, ’58, of Montgomery City, Mo. died Nov. 18, 2021. Jane H. Amrhein Barton, ’59, of Farmington, Mo. died Dec. 31, 2021. Charles C. Bartig, ’59, of Wentzville, Mo. died Dec. 27, 2021. Paul Thomas, Sr. Crews, ’59, of Enumclaw, Wash. died Nov. 1, 2021. Celia Utlaut Drake, ’59, of Waverly, Mo. died Feb. 1, 2022. Ann G. Alexander Imhoff, ’59, of Jamestown, Mo. died May 1, 2022. L. Arlen Liberty, ’59, of Tucson, Ariz. died Dec. 24, 2021.

1960s

Jerry Lee Parrott, ’60, of Knob Noster, Mo. died Nov. 17, 2021. Beth Hicks Youle, ’60, of Petersburg, Ill. died Oct. 27, 2021. Ronald Lee Struchtemeyer, ’61, of Alpharetta, Ga. died Dec. 13, 2021. Mildred R. Landes McNeel, ’64, of Derwood, Md. died Oct. 26, 2021. Stephen Wayne Burnham, ’65, of Boonville, Mo. died Feb. 21, 2022. Margaret L. Mathae Mekler, ’66, of Saint Louis, Mo. died Jan. 9, 2022. Robert Lynn Britton, ’67, of Fayette, Mo. died Jan. 24, 2022. Marilyn Miller Young, ’67, of Columbia, Mo. died Feb. 9, 2022. Ned Joseph Wantz, ’67, of Mechanicsville, Va. died Oct. 13, 2021.

Mary Lyn Jackson Campbell, ’68, of Jefferson City, Mo. died Nov. 20, 2021. E. Boone Schlanker Jr., ’68, of Ballwin, Mo. died Mar. 1, 2022. John R. Barrett, ’69, of Charleston, Mo. died Dec. 19, 2021. Stephanie L. Hoos, ’69, of Columbia, Mo died Jan. 1, 2022. Linda L. L'Hote, ’69, of Owens Cross Roads, Ala. died Dec. 15, 2021.

1970s

Larry J. Leech, ’70, of Gulf Breeze, Fla. died Apr. 4, 2022.

1980s

Victoria L. Cole Neill, ’82, of Columbia, Mo. died Nov. 11, 2021. Melissa Knauer Cooper Bazley, ’82, of Winterset, Ia. died Mar. 5, 2022. Rose Marie Brown, ’89, of Gilliam, Mo. died Mar. 20, 2022.

1990s

Dwayne Charles Abbott, ’90, of Linn, Mo. died Apr. 24, 2022. Susan R. Downey Huff, ’92, of Potosi, Mo. died Feb. 2, 2022. Nancy Buerky Murphy, ’93, of Slater, Mo. died Nov. 24, 2021. Diana S. Hill, ’94, of Billings, Mont. died Apr. 6, 2022. Sarah Lynne Smith, ’96, of Washington, Mo. died Mar. 7, 2022. Aaron Michael Dennis, ’98, of Independence, Mo. died Dec. 7, 2021.

2000s

Jane Marie Bade, ’00, of New Haven, Mo. died Dec. 18, 2021. Katherine M. Compton, ’03, of Bonne Terre, Mo. died Dec. 19, 2021. Patricia Ann Crowley, ’05, of Fayette, Mo. died Oct. 9, 2021.

2010s

Tareva Sharesse Williams, ’10, of Fayette, Mo. died Nov. 8, 2021. Cody Bear Ruggles, ’11, of Moberly, Mo. died Feb. 14, 2022. Marshall Ray Westfall, ’12, of Macon, Mo. died Dec. 18, 2021. Susan E. Henn, ’15, of Collinsville, Ill. died Oct. 20, 2021. Jeffrey L. Bramer II, ’17, of Union, Mo. died Oct. 1, 2021.

CMU Friends, Former Faculty, Staff

Randall D. Barron of Chesterfield, Mo. died Nov. 16, 2021. Carolyn Burgin of O’Fallon, Mo. died Nov. 12, 2021. Grace L. Conrad of Sedalia, Mo. died Mar. 30, 2022. Juanita Dickerson of Fayette, Mo. died Apr. 7, 2022. Phyllis Faulks of Columbia, Mo. died May 2, 2022. William C. Faulks of Columbia, Mo. died Apr. 23, 2022. Jane Franck of Columbia, Mo. died Oct. 7, 2021. Jacqueline High-Pagni of Rocheport, Mo. died Jan. 2, 2022. Ann Kreutzer of Fayette, Mo. died Jan. 28, 2022. Henry B. Mueller of Fayette, Mo. died Mar. 1, 2022. Lois Marlene Ragland of Farmington, Mo. died Apr. 2, 2022. E. Eugene Rooney of Jefferson City, Mo. died Oct. 16, 2021. Susan D. Wason of Republic, Mo. died Dec. 17, 2021. P. David Weigel of Kansas City, Mo. died Nov. 15, 2021.

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