A Story About Love...and Delivering 11,687 Babies

Dr. Joe Belew, ‘53, smiles for a photo.

It was a promising, sunny day when I arrived for my appointment with Dr. Joe Belew, ‘53. I was looking forward to our visit, as I wanted to hear his stories about Central Methodist and how his life had evolved after all these years. Joe's kind smile greeted me as he opened the door to his apartment.

I knew instantly this man wearing a bright red Palm Springs golf shirt was a golf fanatic. Golf memorabilia from fabled courses around the world adorned his home. The back door to his balcony was open, allowing the summer’s fresh air to flow into his beautiful home.

The sound of heavy equipment rose from four stories below. I was curious as to what was going on down there, so I asked Joe what was with all the ruckus.

“They are building a community putting green,” he said.

“I bet that’s a huge disappointment for you,” I responded.

I instantly realized that this man was a hoot and that we were going to have a great conversation. But I wasn’t there to discuss golf; I wanted to learn about Joe’s time at Central Methodist.

As a farm boy from St. Clair, Mo., Joe spent his early years dreaming of

becoming a doctor. Always the long-term planner, he realized his selection of the right undergraduate program was crucial to his success in getting accepted into medical school. He chose Central because he was impressed with the number of pre-med students who got accepted and went into grad school from the college. One of his professors, the beloved Dr. Lester Shell, made it a point to introduce the pre-med program to several grad schools, which afforded Central students a better chance at getting accepted to medical school. Upon meeting Joe, Dr. Shell quickly took the young student under his wing and appointed him as his student assistant. Joe reported that he traveled with Dr. Shell at least once a month, recruiting student-athletes. Another of Joe's tasks required him to clean the labs and storage rooms down in the basement of T. Berry Smith Hall. If you ever run into Joe, you'll want to ask him tell you the story about how he managed to get the chemistry department's storage floors the cleanest they've ever been in Central Methodist history! Joe shared that few Central Methodist students had their own transportation back in the day, so if they needed to get home, they often resorted to hitchhiking. He recalled a time during his senior year, as he waited for a ride, he saw a tall, lanky, freshman CMC basketball player by the name of Don Spalding who was also hitching a ride home. Joe offered to hitchhike with him. Sharing similar interests in pre-med and sports, this particular journey became the basis of a lifelong friendship. Joe went on to become an OB/GYN while his friend became a radiologist. Through the years, the two played golf together. Joe is proud of one particular tournament they won together in 1991 at the Forest Hills Invitational. A look around the room and one can see his undying love for his wife, Jane, whom he met in the Eyrie on the Central campus. He grins like a young college student, and his eyes twinkle when A Story About Love…and Delivering he talks about her. They had three children – two daughters and a son. One of the girls, Taina, ‘77, graduated from Central 11,687 Babies Methodist's first nursing program. Joe says his kids are all extremely successful and have BY REV. BILL O’NEAL wonderful children of their own. Jane passed away in March 2021, but the love remains stronger now than it did in 1953. I asked Joe how they stayed in love all those years. He said, "We shared a strong faith in God. We rarely had a day that was all good, but we always ended the day good." Good words to live by from a man who knows how to be happy and how to show others they matter. Joe enjoyed the classes he took, and you can be sure that he excelled in everything he did. He discovered a passion for learning German, becoming quite efficient at speaking the language. Joe's hard work and dedication landed him with an offer from more than a few med schools. He chose Saint Louis University. Upon graduation, Joe was required to join the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an OB/GYN. His ability to understand and speak German came in handy, as he was able to help reduce the mortality rate of pregnant German women married to American G.I.s. Joe attributes this exemplary achievement to simply correcting their dietary intake. It was getting late, so I had to wrap it up. "One more question, Joe. How many babies did you deliver during all those years of practice?" His response was astounding! "11,673 babies."

BY GRACE UNNVIK, ’21

When Martha Bradley J.D., ’18, was a student at Central Methodist University, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do after graduation. She was interested in criminal justice and law, but she wasn’t confident about where she would fit in. With the help of her advisor and others, Bradley found her true calling. Today, she is an attorney, helping some of the most vulnerable in this country - veterans.

Bradley works for the University of Missouri School of Law Veterans Clinic, which represents veterans in their disability compensation claims before the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as discharge upgrade cases.

“Most veterans come back from service with injuries and/or disabilities, and they don’t always know that they are entitled to compensation for those disabilities,” Bradley said. “Many of those who do file claims for compensation either get denied or are not awarded the proper disability rating.”

As an attorney at the clinic, Bradley works to hold the VA accountable by helping veterans navigate a complex appeals system. The clinic works on a pro bono basis, meaning the veterans they help do not have to pay. They rely on generous donors, for whom Bradley is grateful.

Along with her services as an attorney, Bradley also directs the clinic’s rural outreach program, Tigers for Troops. The program travels to rural Missouri to hold free legal consultations for veterans who do not have access to certain veteran resources.

“Since its inception in 2019, we have reached 88 counties and conducted 150 one-on-one legal consultations through this program alone,” Bradley said. “Because there is such a great need for attorneys to help veterans, we also train attorneys in veterans’ law by way of free CLEs (continuing legal education) in an effort to expand the pool of veterans’ advocates in the state of Missouri.”

Bradley is grateful for her time at CMU and attributes where she is today to her advisor, Collin Brink. He helped her navigate the LSAT and applying to law schools and instilled confidence in her. She is also appreciative of Dr. John Carter, Dr. Robert Wiegers, and the late Professor Keith Abernathy.

“Their instruction and expertise were invaluable to me as a student and prepared me not only for law school but for life in general,” she said.

The small, close-knit environment is something Bradley loved about Central. She fondly remembers the relationships she made with faculty, which will last a lifetime.

Bradley with her fiancee, Paden Kleinhesselink, ’16

Central Methodist University celebrated the inspired work of Ken, ’51, and Nancy, ’52, Seward at a special band concert in their honor on March 6. The Sewards were directors of the Central Band from 1964-1967. They built on the tradition of excellence in the Central College band from the day they returned to campus as faculty. The concert was made possible by a generous donation from Lynn D. Howard, who wanted to remember the Sewards in a meaningful way. At the concert, Central’s own Madalyn Bartholomew, a senior music education major from Salisbury, Mo., was honored as the first recipient of the Seward Band Award for Excellence. The winner of the award each year will receive a cash stipend.