In Memoriam

Northwest extends its condolences to the families and friends of these individuals.

Earl Adkins ’59, age 85, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, died Jan. 23. He taught industrial arts at the junior and senior high levels for 34 years. Charlotte Spainhower Allen ’47, age 95, died April 5 in Blue Springs, Missouri. She began her career as a teacher in Farragut, Iowa, before serving as a minister of churches in Kansas and Missouri. Joanne Anderson ’84, age 79, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Jan. 17. She was an honors English teacher and later the English department chair at Central High School in St. Joseph, where she taught from 1972 to 2001. Victor Anderson ’61, age 82, of Urbandale, Iowa, died Oct. 31, 2021. He was a high school band director for eight years in Story City, Iowa, and then was director of The Greater Des Moines Community Band for two decades in addition to performing with Vic’s Big Band. He also directed The Highlands County Concert Band for 13 years in Sebring, Florida. Luther Armfield ’60, age 83, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Jan. 18. He served in the U.S. Army from 1960 to 1963 and then worked with Phillips Petroleum for 40 years in its Bartlesville, Oklahoma, headquarters. Vivian Gault Bowman ’77, age 90, of Huntsville, Alabama, died Dec. 16, 2021. She was a teacher for more than 40 years. Patricia Ehlers Boysen ’68, age 75 of Urbandale, Iowa, died Feb. 6. She worked as an auditor for the Packers and Stockyards Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., and finished her 32-year career with the IRS, retiring in 2004.

Dr. Sharon Browning, age

81, of Maryville, died Feb. 6. After teaching business and English at the junior and senior high levels, she joined the Northwest faculty and taught marketing and management from 1964 to 1999. Elaine Flint Bullock ’62, age 89, of Bethany, Missouri, died Feb. 7. She was a grade school teacher in Illinois and Iowa, retiring in 1989. Edward Joseph Byron ’69, age 77, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, died June 16, 2021. He taught high school physical education, health and driver’s education in Jersey City, New Jersey, for 40 years. Kristin Clark ’87, age 56, of Merriam, Kansas, died Nov. 24, 2021. She worked as a project manager, including at Broadcast Data Systems.

Norma Long Clark ’58,

’90, age 85, of Ruskin, Florida, died Dec. 15, 2021. She taught first grade in Hopkins, Missouri, and then kindergarten at Eugene Field Elementary School in Maryville, retiring after 28 years. She also co-founded Jack and Jill Nursery School in Maryville.

Anna Corless ’55, age 95, of Kansas City, Missouri, died Sept. 10, 2021. She was a teacher in St. Joseph, Missouri, and in Hayward, California. Gerald Cox ’50, age 92, died Aug. 30, 2021, in Overland Park, Kansas. After serving with the U.S. Army, he taught high school physics and coached girls basketball in Farragut, Iowa. He then worked as a claims adjuster and retired as an investigator for insurers and law firms in Colorado Springs in 2000. Dorothy Bundy Crawford ’43, age 100, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Dec. 20, 2021. She taught for a few years prior before becoming a homemaker. Mary Lee Nielsen Crowe ’69, age 73, of Burlington, Iowa, died Dec. 31, 2021. She taught in Burlington Community School District elementary schools. Harry Crowell ’61, age 82, of Independence, Missouri, died Sept. 26, 2021. He began his career as a teacher before transitioning to developing vocational educational opportunities for students with special education needs and students identified as English as a Second Language Learners. Donald Davis ’73, age 70, of Malvern, Iowa, died Dec. 22, 2021. He was a teacher for 45 years. Tiffany Fry Duis ’12, age 31, of Kansas City, Missouri, died Dec. 31, 2021. She was a fourth grade teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary School in Liberty, Missouri. Anthony Edelen ’01, age 44, of Vermillion, South Dakota, died Nov. 13, 2021. He operated carpet cleaning businesses in Aspen, Colorado, and then in Vermillion. Ali Elzen ’01, age 73, of Maryville, died April 16. He worked at Tippin’s Pies and the Park Plaza Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, before moving to northwest Missouri, where he owned and operated bakeries in Burlington Junction and Maryville. Susan King Fay ’53, age 90, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Dec. 5, 2021. She was an artist and frequently exhibited her work in Kansas City galleries and at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum in St. Joseph. Jerry Fry ’77, age 65, of Kansas City, Missouri, died Jan. 2. He worked for the Social Security Administration for 42 years. Max Fuller, age 93, died Oct. 18, 2021, in Longmont, Colorado. After service in the U.S. Navy, he taught business education classes at Longmont High School. He served as director of student financial aid at Northwest from 1968 to 1972 before returning to Longmont, where he was principal of the Career Development Center for 20 years and taught post-secondary accounting classes, retiring in 1991. Richard Glenn ’81, age 61, of Bethany, Missouri, died Jan. 12. He worked for several accounting firms before purchasing his own office in 1991 in Bethany, where he provided accounting and tax services. Shirley Hamilton Goetz ’64, age 79, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Oct. 23, 2021. She taught in the St. Joseph School District. Rodney Hall ’72, age 72, of Savannah, Missouri, died Jan. 4. He served in the Army National Guard and was owner and operator of Friendly Boys Lumber in Tarkio, Missouri.

Molly Hannas ’95, age 68, of Tybee Island, Georgia, died Feb. 18. She taught high school English in Jamesport, Missouri, and at Beach High School and Early College High School in Savannah, Georgia, where she also coached tennis and led her teams to state championships, before retiring in 2018. Royal Harmon ’67, age 77, of Rock Port, Missouri, died Dec. 22, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army and then taught science in Rock Port and owned and operated Harmon Electronics until 1986. He next taught avionics at the Spartan School of Aeronautics and at Tulsa Technology Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, until retiring in 2001. Richard Harney ’69, age 74, of Maryville, died Feb. 18. He had a 29-year career with Hy-Vee, beginning at a Des Moines, Iowa, area store, advancing to assistant store director in Omaha, Nebraska, and then serving as a store director in Tarkio, Missouri, and Shenandoah, Iowa, retiring in 2007. Darell Hawley ’74, ’77, ’86, age 73, of Maryville, died Oct. 25, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam and then was a teacher and principal for many years before retiring as principal of Penney High School in Hamilton, Missouri, in 1998.

Vicki Yarmark Hedberg

’76, age 66, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, died Oct. 22, 2021. She worked at Western Auto and Yellow Freight before starting her own business, The Travel Source/Honeymoon Hideaways, which she operated for more than 20 years.

Linda Chambers James ’67, age 77, of Olathe, Kansas, died April 24. She taught science and history for more than 30 years in the St. Joseph (Missouri) School District. Kathleen McGinnis Jennings ’67, age 76, died Feb. 6 in Mahomet, Illinois. She was a teacher and artist. Dorothy Carter Jones ’47, age 100, of Placerville, California, died Nov. 9, 2021. She was a teacher in northwest Missouri and served in the U.S. Navy as part of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service during 1945 and 1946. In 1955, she moved with her family to California, where she was an active volunteer in various scouting and church groups. Larry Kallauner ’66, ’93, age 78, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Dec. 23, 2021. He taught in Fort Madison, Iowa, for eight years and then in Elwood, Kansas, later becoming principal until retiring in 2009. Jerry Kimmel ’61, age 83, of Overland Park, Kansas, died Jan. 3. He worked for Rockwell International as an information systems department manager. George Kruger ‘59, age 85, of Spencer, Iowa, died Nov. 23, 2021. He began his teaching career in Mallard, Iowa, before moving to Spencer, where he was an elementary principal and director of special education until his retirement in 1997. Ed Kryselmire ’65, age 79, of Cassville, Missouri, died Feb. 25. He was employed by the states of Iowa and Wyoming as a social worker for more than two decades, and he owned and operated High Country Energy, a gas well testing service in southwest Wyoming. Roger Larsen ’85, age 59, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, died Dec. 31, 2021. He taught second grade at Tri-Center Elementary School in Neola, Iowa, for 32 years. Ruthanna Lentz ’38, age 103, of Laramie, Wyoming, died Dec. 3, 2021. She was a teacher and worked a ranch with her husband until retiring. Johnnie Long ’72, age 75, of Wentzville, Missouri, died Dec. 21, 2021. He was a member of the U.S. Air Force for 23 years and served in Arizona, Germany, Minnesota, Missouri, California, Georgia and Illinois, where he retired in 1994. He then worked in federal civil service, retiring again in 2005. Mary Flora Maupin ’58, age 85, of Savannah, Missouri, died Nov. 19, 2021. She taught home economics at King City High School. Ray McClaran ’52, age 90, of Blue Springs, Missouri, died Sept. 18, 2021. He was a certified public accountant, financial vice president and comptroller for Hudson Oil Company and was a full-time minister for the Community of Christ, retiring in 1993. He also commanded Company B, 135th Signal Battalion of the Missouri Army National Guard, retiring as a captain. Douglas McMahon ’86, age 59, of Rock Port, Missouri, died April 16. He was employed by Con Agra, where he worked as the production manager for more than 20 years. Donna Auxier Miller ’67, age 76, of Bendena, Kansas, died April 22. She taught Spanish and coached tennis in St. Joseph, Missouri, public schools and later in Atchison, Wathena and Elwood in Kansas. In retirement, she taught Spanish parttime at Atchison Catholic Elementary School.

Dr. Kenneth Minter, age 93, of Olathe, Kansas, died Feb. 11. He began his naval career with the Navy Medical Corp in 1953 and served in the Naval Reserve from 1957 to 1981, retiring as commander. He also taught biology and general science at Emporia (Kansas) High School for four years and then was a Northwest faculty member from 1963 to 1993, which included service as chair of the biology department.

Doni Fry Mollus ’79, ’92, ’94, age 64, of Maryville, died Feb. 11. She retired from Northwest in 2020 as a senior instructor of accounting after 20 years of service in the Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business.

Emma Lee Vance Morgan

’39, age 103, died Aug. 28, 2021, in Houston. She worked at Northwest as a secretary for Dean J.C. Miller and later for Dean J.W. Jones until 1941. She became a full-time mother, raising three children in Jefferson City, Missouri, while husband June “J.P.” Morgan was a judge on the Missouri Supreme Court from 1969 until 1982 and a member of Northwest’s Board of Regents from 1961 to 1969.

Joy Brown Nielsen ’71, age 71, of Cleghorn, Iowa, died Jan. 4. She taught at Grand Valley and Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn schools in Iowa for 31 years and was a school librarian, retiring in 2007.

Steve Newhouse ’00, age 43, of Overland Park, Kansas, died July 19, 2021. He had worked for seven years at Burns and McDonnell as an electrical drafting technician.

Richard O’Halloran ’71, age 73, of Chillicothe, Missouri, died Nov. 18, 2021. He was a certified public accountant and was the finance director at Chillicothe Municipal Utilities for 25 years, retiring in 2016. Billy Lee Pease ’52, age 94, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died Jan. 12. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1948 and enjoyed a varied career that included managing a hardware store, farming, painting and wall papering, selling fertilizer and working as a supervisor at a meat packing plant. He also worked as a clown for the Sesostris Shrine Clown Unit and was named Clown of the Year in 1980. Harold Ray ’98, age 63, of Belton, Missouri, died Nov. 12, 2021. He was a faculty member at the University of Central Missouri, where he taught Earth science and was a paleontology team member on numerous field studies. Mary Lou Chappell Roberts ’65, age 77 of Brentwood, Tennessee, died Feb. 9. She was a kindergarten teacher for more than 35 years in Iowa, Kansas and Tennessee and co-authored a series of educational children’s books. Lt. Col. Peter Rodda ’67, age 77, of in Cumming, Georgia, died Feb. 7. He served in the U.S. Army for 25 years in various command and staff assignments in the U.S., Germany and Vietnam before retiring in 1993. He also taught high school in Iowa, Illinois and Georgia. He held various executive management positions in the food, software and communication industries. Alveda Baumann Russell ’80, age 92, of DeSoto, Kansas, died Nov. 30, 2021. She was a fifth grade teacher at Minnie Cline Elementary School in St. Joseph, Missouri, and later at Savannah (Missouri) Junior High School. Capt. Richard Scharff ’61, age 82, of St. Augustine, Florida, died June 29, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy, retiring after 24 years in 1986, and then worked as the head of procurement at University of California San Diego, the University of Iowa and San Diego State University, retiring in 2014. Arthur Schnuck Jr. ’73, age 71, of Boonville, Missouri, died Dec. 8, 2021. He was a member of the Missouri Army National Guard 175th Military Police in Moberly, Missouri, and operated a thirdgeneration diversified Century Farm. Beverly Jo Holt Shelton ’46, age 96, of Maryville, died Dec. 11, 2021. She worked as a public school music teacher and private piano teacher. An active volunteer, she was the American Association of University Women’s Woman of the Year in 1981.

Daniel Smith, age 59, of Maryville, died May 2. After practicing law in Washington, D.C., he joined the Northwest faculty in 1999. He served as the coach of Northwest’s Mock Trial Team and as an advisor for the pre-law program, PreLaw Society and Student Senate. He also oversaw Northwest’s legislative internship program that places students in the offices of Missouri lawmakers each spring.

Joyce Brown Smith ’55, age 87, of Bethany, Missouri, died Oct. 26, 2021. She taught in Savannah, Stanberry, King City, Westboro and Bethany. Dr. Theodore Spessard ’71, age 78, of Belle, Missouri, died Dec. 1, 2021. He began his career teaching biology and coaching basketball in Martinsville, before moving into principal roles in Hopkins, Richmond and Odessa. He then was superintendent for the Community R-VI School District in Laddonia and for the Maries County R-2 School District in Belle, retiring in 2009 after 41 years in education. Curtis Thomas ’57, age 86, of Las Vegas, died Nov. 24, 2021. He was a teacher, counselor and football coach before becoming a sales executive at Commerce Clearing House and then working at Skyway Freight until retiring in 1997. He worked as a golf course marshal in retirement. Marvin Toft ’60, age 85, of Carroll, Iowa, died March 3. After serving in the U.S. Army, he taught in Maryville and Elk Horn, Iowa, and then became a high school principal at Ringsted, Iowa. He later launched a ServiceMaster franchise in Carroll, operating it successfully for 20 years and then pursued a career in sales, retiring in 2004. Cindy Taylor Walker ’69, ’72, age 74, of Forest Lake, Minnesota, died Dec. 30, 2021. She taught English in Granville, Iowa, and St. Paul, Minnesota, before working as a guidance counselor in St. Paul schools during the last 20 years of her career. Ryan Walker ’07, age 37, of Shanghai, China, died Oct. 12, 2021. He was director of curriculum at Chinon Oriental Private Foreign School in Shanghai. Jim Wasem, age 86, of Patoka, Illinois, died April 2. He was head coach of the Northwest baseball team from 1972 to 1981, leading the Bearcats to the NCAA Division II College World Series in 1975 and four MIAA championships. His 23-year collegiate coaching career also included stops at Monmouth College in Illinois and Eastern Washington University. He began his career teaching and coaching at high schools in Kinmundy and Roxana, Illinois. He is a member of several halls of fame and authored two books and numerous publications about baseball and basketball.

Mildred “Maxine” Caldwell Watkins ’62, age 95, of Braymer, Missouri, died Feb. 21. She was a school teacher for 27 years in St. Louis. Dale Weeks ’65, age 78, of Seymour, Iowa, died Nov. 28, 2021. He taught math and science at Southeast Warren Community School District, was principal at Collins, and served as superintendent of schools at Mingo, Woodward-Granger and Seymour, retiring in 2007. Joyce Budine West ’66, age 79, of Kansas City, Missouri, died April 3. She taught elementary school in Kansas City. John Wilcox ’74, ’76, age 77, of Kansas City, Missouri, died Dec. 12, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot during two tours in Vietnam and continued his military career in the Army National Guard, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1988.

Harold Wilmarth ’69, age 81, died Jan. 27 in Mesa, Arizona. He began his career at Farmers Produce and Farmers Elevator in Hopkins, Missouri, which he eventually purchased and expanded to include Farmers Supply in Burlington Junction and Mo. Valley Agriservice in Rock Port, Missouri, before retiring in 1998.

Kenneth Winkelman ’75, age 71, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, died Dec. 14, 2021. He worked as a production and operations manager for the setup of tradeshow and museum displays, maintaining his own business, On-Site I & D Services. Gary Wyatt ’72, age 85, of St. Joseph, Missouri, died Feb. 14. He served in the U.S. Navy, before working in management consulting and later joined Sheridan-Clayton Paper Company in St. Joseph. Irma Nicholson Zapf ’50, ’71, age 93, of Maryville, died March 29. She taught in Walnut, Iowa, and in Rosendale, Graham and Savannah in Missouri.

LET US KNOW If you learn of the death of a Northwest graduate, please submit in writing or via news clipping the name of the deceased (and maiden name, if appropriate), year(s) of graduation from Northwest, date of death, age, city of death, city of residence and a brief listing of career accomplishments. In addition, submit your relationship to the deceased and your daytime telephone number to the Office of University Advancement, 800 University Dr., Maryville, MO 64468-6001, fax to 660.562.1990 or email alumni@nwmissouri.edu. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.