IN M E MO R I A M
1940-1949
Martha Brown
Thomas “Clayton” Perry ’49
Martha (Burford) Brown, 78, of Warsaw, MO, died Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, at her home. She was born Oct. 6, 1937, the daughter of James William and Suzanna Irene Burford. She grew up near Leeton and graduated from Leeton High School in 1956, after which she came to UCM where she received a bachelor of science in education. In 1958, she married Kenneth Brown, a 1961 alumnus. They lived in Warrensburg and moved to Warsaw in 1960 where they had a son, Bart. Her parents, two brothers, husband and son preceded her in death. Martha was employed for a short time at the Osage Valley Bank. She also taught preschool for several years. She was active in the Warsaw community, volunteering for the chamber, parks department and Heritage Days celebration. She is survived by one sister, Sarah Phillips and her husband Thomas, of Leeton and several nieces and nephews. Memorials are suggested to the Bart Brown Scholarship Fund, through the UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg, MO 64093 or at ucmo.edu/giveonline.
1950-1959 Carlos Kays ’50 Robert A. Roberge ’54 Monte Cass ’58
1960-1969 Thomas Bickham ’65 David Borresen ’69 Jimmie Fast ’69
1970-1979 Terry Abney ’72 John R. Haan ’77
1980-1989 Nancy Walker ’80 William “Bill” Perry ’81 Jenese Guthrie Krysa ’88
1990-1999 Troy Jordan ’93
2000-2009 Paul Alexander ’04
Former Students Yael Franklin Jackson Clyde Harper
College High Karl Jokubeit ’53
EDITOR’S UPDATE:
We received word right before publishing this issue of the deaths of emeriti members Myron “Mike” Carter, who helped to found the university’s health and fitness programs, and Carl Foster, who started the university’s pubic relations office. Watch for their obituaries in our next issue.
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Harold Caskey Harold Caskey, 77, retired Missouri state senator, died Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, from Parkinson’s disease. The 1960 alumnus was a veteran member of the Missouri General Assembly, winning election to seven terms representing Senate District 31. During his 28 years in the Senate, he sponsored and passed 327 pieces of legislation into law. Caskey was legally blind since the first grade from an inherited retina condition. Because of his blindness, he could not perform many everyday tasks, such as driving, reading and recognizing friends except by their voices. Being blind added to Caskey’s tenacity in life and as a legislator. He was a high achiever in school, attending public elementary and secondary schools in Bates County and serving as senior class valedictorian. He graduated magna cum laude with dual majors in psychology and sociology from UCM. He then earned a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he was among that class’ top 10 graduates. Caskey practiced law in the office of then State Senator William Cason in Clinton. He opened his
Vol. 15, No. 2 | ucmo.edu/ucmmagazine
own law practice in Butler in 1965. He served as city attorney for the communities of Butler and Rich Hill. Elected to the Senate in 1976, Caskey never lost a bid for reelection to a four-year term. He was a loyal and trusted friend to UCM at the state capital. He supported legislation that secured funds for projects such as construction of the James C. Kirkpatrick Library and T.R. Gaines Technology Building as well as renovation of the Ward Edwards building. He sponsored protective legislation for children, SB 740 Children at Risk in Education, a landmark reconstruction of Missouri’s school funding formula and comprehensive education reform package. He helped end desegregation programs in Kansas City and St. Louis. He was a charter member of the Missouri Commission on Performance, which counseled the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on education reform and school finance. He also co-chaired the Joint Task Force on Education Finance, which laid groundwork for passage of the 1993 Outstanding Schools Act, Senate Bill 380. That legislation provided the largest infusion of state public school funding in generations and mandated high standards for schools. Caskey received scores of honors for his accomplishments, including a UCM honorary doctorate in 2003. He also received tributes from the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities, the Public Telecommunications Association of Missouri, Missouri Deputy Sheriffs Association, Judicial Conference of Missouri, Missouri Association of Counties, Missouri Association of Pharmacists, Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Missouri Cable Television Association, Missouri Crime Commission, Missouri Police Chiefs’ Association, the American Business Women’s Association and the Cooperating School Districts of Suburban Kansas City. He was born Jan. 3, 1938, in Hume, MO, to James Alfred Caskey, a coal mine foreman, and Edith Irene Anderson Caskey. He married Marjorie Swaidner in 1962 in Macon, MO; she preceded him in death. In 1974, he married Dorenda Kathryn “Kay” Head who survives. Other survivors include a son Kyle; sister Velma Elaine May of Lansing, KS; brothers Robert Caskey of Ozark, MO; Leon Caskey (Shirley) of Clinton, MO; and Ray Lee Caskey (Jeri Leigh) of Alton, MO; brothers-in-law Glenn Head of Novelty, MO; and Neal Head (Debbie) of Osage Beach, MO; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorials are suggested to the Harold Caskey Scholarship, through the UCM Foundation, Smiser Alumni Center, Warrensburg, MO 64093 or online at ucmo.edu/giveonline.