A bronze bust of legendary journalist Walter Cronkite by Eric Fuson, artist-in-residence at Missouri Western State University, has been installed in the Walter Cronkite Memorial inside Spratt Hall on the Missouri Western campus.
Fuson, a 1988 graduate of Missouri Western, looked at a lot of photographs and worked closely with those who knew Cronkite, including members of the longtime CBS anchorman’s family, so that the sculpture bore as close a resemblance as possible. He sculpted the bust in clay; a mold was made from that clay bust, and then the piece was cast in bronze.
Fuson said he hopes the sculpture brings a new dimension – literally – to visitors’ image of Cronkite.
“So many of us grew up with Cronkite on the news every night and saw his image on the TV screen over and over again,” he said. “It’s a different experience to be able to see a representation of him in three dimensions, to walk around and see how he looked from different angles. It takes him ‘off the wall’ and maybe helps people see him more clearly as a real person.”
The bust was cast at Eligius Bronze in Kansas City, Mo. It was installed on its granite pedestal by Van Vickle Monuments of St. Joseph.
The Walter Cronkite Memorial was dedicated on Nov. 4, 2013, on what would have been Cronkite’s 97th birthday. The 5.000 square-foot display features images and videos of Cronkite’s life and the many historic events he covered as a journalist. The Walter Cronkite Memorial is open daily except Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter, and admission is always free. For more information visit www.waltercronkitememorial.org.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.