Alumnotes Fall 2018

1970s
Dr. Julie Albee ’76 was awarded the Parkway Distinguished Professor Award from Parkway Baptist Church in St. Louis. The award is for outstanding professional and personal contributions to Christian education. Dr. Albee is a professor of education and director of student learning improvement at Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hannibal, Missouri.

Bill McMurray ’70 was elected mayor of St. Joseph, Missouri in April 2018.

1980s
Lisa Larson ’89/’92 is the first assistant dean of academic affairs at the new University of Kansas School of Nursing campus in Salina, Kansas.

1990s
Diane Hook ’90 received a Women’s Justice Award for 2018 from the Missouri Lawyers Weekly. Hook is a founding member of Hook McKinley LLC law firm in St. Joseph and has been practicing in St. Joseph for 15 years. She is one of seven general practitioners across the state to receive the award.

Jeff Wallace ’90 is the head football coach at Plattsburg High School in Plattsburg, Missouri.

Dr. Terri Godfrey ’92 is the principal at Central High School in St. Joseph, Missouri. She had previously been assistant principal at Central.

Col. Grace Link ’92 was named executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission, which has 1,750 employees and operates seven veterans homes, five veterans cemeteries and a veterans service program. It serves 485,000 veterans. She is the first woman to head the agency. In March, she received the Engineering Technology Excellence Award from Missouri Western.

Dr. Robert Sigrist ’95 is the director of non-academic support and student services for the St. Joseph School District. Previously, he had been serving as principal of Savannah High School in Savannah, Missouri.

Brett Goodwin ’98 is the athletic director at Benton High School in St. Joseph, Missouri.

2000s
Gini Fite ’01 is a 2018 winner of the Drug Free Sport Continuing Education Award. She is a Park University adjunct faculty member and an athletic trainer for the Smithville School District.

Jeff Carter ’05 was awarded one of 52 James Madison Fellowships by the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation of Alexandria, Virginia. The fellowship will fund up to $24,000 of Carter’s course of study toward a master’s degree.

Brice Garnett ’06 won his first PGA Tour title at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in the Dominican Republic in March 2018 with a final-round 70. He led the tournament from start to finish. Garnett turned pro in 2006 and is sponsored by GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness. He now has six professional tournament wins on his resume.

Jacob Schoonover ’08 is the linebackers coach for Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.

2010s
Michael Hill ’12 joined ReeceNichols Ide Capital Realty as a realtor.

Tony Dougherty ’15 sang the National Anthem at the NCAA Division I women’s basketball championship in Kansas City, Missouri in March.

Jessica Frogge ’15 was named the 2018 Women of Excellence Woman in Support Services. Frogge works for Missouri Western’s Student Government Association.

In Memory
We remember those who have passed away. If you want to include someone in this listing, please call (816) 271-5651, mail the information to Diane Holtz, Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, or email holtz@missouriwestern.edu.

Aaron Ahles-Iverson ’11, Gladstone, Missouri, July 13, 2018.
Benjamin Ahles-Iverson ’04, Taylor, Wisconsin, March 4, 2018.
Charles S. Brown ’78, Union Star, Missouri, March 5, 2018.
Arnel R. Bruce ’82, Kansas City, Missouri, March 3, 2018.
Marjorie Ann (Schuske) Brumback ’46, St. Joseph, Missouri, Feb. 23, 2018.
Gloria T. Crouch ’94, Lathrop, Missouri, April 17, 2018.
Gregory S. Drennen ’91, Kansas City, Missouri, April 7, 2018.
Laura G. Farr ’93, Stewartsville, Missouri, May 2, 2018.
Michael K. Farris ’81, Platte City, Missouri, April 26, 2018.
Linda L. Gaines ’80, Breckenridge, Missouri, March 27, 2018.
Dr. Matt Gilmour, St. Joseph, Missouri, May 1, 2018. Dr. Gilmour began working for Missouri Western’s Department of Music in 1969 and retired in 2014. He was department chair for 35 years.
William H. Guenther ’48, St. Joseph, Missouri, Feb. 21, 2018.
Roger H. Horn ’74, Charlotte, North Carolina, May 10, 2018.
Carolyn S. (Rosenauer) Johnson ’75, St. Joseph, Missouri, May 17, 2018.
Larry J. McClintick ’75, St. Joseph, Missouri, April 8, 2018.
Amy M. Mefford ’97, Cameron, Missouri, May 11, 2018.
Howard Larry Niemoeller ’75, Ocean View, Delaware, Dec. 13, 2017.
Dixie B. Ozenberger ’53, Kansas City, Missouri, April 18, 2018.
Patricia “Patsy” Remington ’79, St. Joseph, Missouri, July 25, 2018. Remington Hall is named for Patsy and her husband, Wes.
Charles O. Roe ’06, Osborn, Missouri, May 19, 2018.
Stephen K. Showalter ’86, South Carolina, May 25, 2018.
Shirley F. Smith ’79, St. Joseph, Missouri, April 3, 2018.
Cathy A. Stanton ’98, Bethany, Missouri, April 1, 2018.
William Thedinga ’43, St. Joseph, Missouri, May 20, 2018.
George Zanter ’75, Kansas City, Missouri, April 7, 2018.