Wootton worked as a drug addiction counselor, helping people get rehabilitated on their way through the prison system.
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The longtime Columbia College, Stephens College and MU professor passed away peacefully Feb. 5
Kentrell touched the lives of many people across Columbia, leaving a legacy of service and friendship.
Mrs. Langwell's family roots extend to the founding of Columbia. She enjoyed quilting, music and Silver Dollar City.
Ben Weir's life was marked by community service, love for his grandson and dedication to journalism.
During his time at MU, he became one of the founders that developed theriogenology at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Carolyn, an MU alumna, was very involved in her community. Her spunk and curiosity drew people to her wherever she went.
Paula Elias left hand prints on many corners of the Columbia community including film, advertising and urban agriculture.
Farnen's family and friends reflect on his political, economic and relational impact on the Columbia community.
Karen Chandler's friends and colleagues remember her as "one of the most positive people that you would meet."
He was an avid cyclist and, until nearly the end, rode up the same steep incline on State Road MM to stay fit.
As long-time friend Peter Markie noted: “He understood that we don’t just teach subjects, we teach people.”
She was an avid horsewoman who had a natural way with animals and was a dedicated teacher.
He embodied the importance of education, hard work, and treating everyone with kindness, consideration and love, his daughter said.
The story about the day her son came home to tell her he was gay speaks volumes.
"We lift these historical figures up, but we don't really talk about how difficult it was to be Black on that campus at that particular time," said a former campus leader.
Ridgel was a member of the original Concerned Student 1950, the first group of Black students admitted to MU.
As an administrator, he demonstrated the true meaning of collegiality, friends said.
An icon of the community, Mr. Atkins died July 22, 2020.
Dr. Thompson's family and friends describe him as a loving person with a brilliant mind.