Owen Koeppe
COLUMBIA—Owen J. Koeppe, former provost of Academic Affairs at MU, was a leader and scholar to those who knew him best.
“My measure of a person is what I learned from them. I learned a great deal from Owen,” said Richard Wallace, chancellor emeritus at MU. “I consider him a mentor who helped me develop and grow. He taught me to listen well and be a part of a team.”
Mr. Koeppe died at North Village Park in Moberly on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. He was 83.
He was born May 29, 1926, in Cedar Grove, Wis., to Edwin and Elizabeth Koeppe. He spent part of his childhood in south China while his parents worked as missionaries with the Reformed Church of America.
Mr. Koeppe was home-schooled with other missionary children until he attended Shanghai American School from 1939 to 1941.
With a war on the way, he returned to the U.S. at age 15. He graduated from high school in Holland, Mich. in 1943.
In May of 1944, he joined the Navy. He worked as a radio technician on ships in the Pacific Theater until he was discharged on July 1, 1946. He went on to attend Hope College in Holland, Mich. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1949.
On June 14, 1950, he married JoAnn E. Moessner in Muskegon, Mich. The couple had three children.
He received a master's of science degree in 1951 and a Ph.D. in 1953 in biochemistry from the University of Illinois in Urbana. After a post-doctorate fellowship at the University of Minnesota, he joined the University of Missouri biochemistry department in August of 1955.
Mr. Koeppe taught biochemistry until 1973 and served as a department chair from 1968-73. He received a “Golden Apple,” an award for excellence in teaching, three times. He also served as chair for the Faculty Council from 1970-73 and became a Faculty-Alumni Award recipient in 1972.
In 1973, Mr. Koeppe became provost for Academic Affairs at MU, a position he held until 1980. He served as provost at Kansas State University from 1980-87, he taught biochemistry at the university until 1992, when he retired and received an undergraduate teaching award.
"He had an amazing knowledge of universities," said Jim Coffman, who worked as the Kansas State University provost after Koeppe. "People drew on his insight and advice."
Mr. Koeppe and his wife moved back to Columbia in 1992. He later worked for 18 months as interim director at MU's Museum of Art and Archaeology.
Mr. Koeppe was a charter and active member of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Columbia where he served as an ordained elder, Clerk of Session, and was active in Christian education. He served as board president of the Missouri Symphony Society in 2004. He also liked sports; he played in faculty golf games and bowling leagues and cheered for the MU Tigers.
He is survived by his wife; three children, John Koeppe of Landenberg, Penn., Robert Koeppe and Barbara Higdon, both of Ann Arbor, Mich.; a sister, Ruth DeYoung of Waupun,Wisc.; four grandchildren Erika and Andrew Koeppe, and Kathyrn and Sarah Higdon, all of Ann Arbor, Mich.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
His brother, Roger Koeppe, died earlier.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1600 W. Rollins Road.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Trinity Presbyterian Church Brotherhood Fund, 1600 W. Rollins Road, Columbia, MO 65203; the biochemistry department at the University of Missouri, c/o Joyce Mast, 117 Schweitzler Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211 (checks payable to: University of Missouri); or Missouri Symphony Society, 203 S. Ninth St., Columbia, MO 65201.
Tributes may be posted at parkerfuneralservice.com.
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