Robert J. Motley
Former Columbia resident Robert J. Motley, 77, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009.
Dr. Motley was born at the family farm near New Hartford on Nov. 26, 1932, to Ethel Pritchett and Ernest C. Motley.
He attended grade school at New Hartford and graduated from Bowling Green High School. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Northeast Missouri State University, now known as Truman State University. While at the university, he was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Omega Pi, and Phi Delta Kappa. He received his doctoral degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He was accepted into Delta Pi Epsilon at the university and was a life member.
Dr. Motley spent two years in the U.S. Army before he began his teaching career in business education at Osceola High School, where he taught from 1955-61. He then taught at Kansas City Kansas Junior College, Southern Illinois University, the University of Wyoming, Morehead State University of Kentucky and Utah State University.
He retired from the management information resources department of Western Illinois University in Macomb in 1993 after teaching there for 25 years. In 1994, Dr. Motley moved to Columbia.
He was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Columbia and was active in the Columbia chapters of Sons of the American Revolution, the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America and the Boone County chapter of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association. Dr. Motley was listed in Who’s Who in the Midwest and International Who’s Who of Intellectuals.
He traveled extensively, visiting Europe four times, Canada, Alaska and most of the lower 48 states.
Survivors include a sister, Pauline B. Matthews of Springfield; two foster sons, Phat Pham and Jimmy Q. Huynh; and several nieces and nephews.
His parents and four brothers, Milton T. Motley, Carey L. Motley, Elbert P. "Doc" Motley and Ernest B. "Bud" Motley, died earlier.
Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Smyrna Cemetery in Middletown with the Rev. Bob Hoehn officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Smyrna Cemetery Association.
Condolences for the family may be posted at parkerfuneralservice.com.
