Panther Tracks
1950s
Dr. Donald “Don” Flesche ’56 (Kalamazoo, MI) received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards at Drury University.
1960s
Dr. Karl Hales ’62 (Salisbury, NC) has been awarded admission into the Blue Masque Theatre Hall of Fame, the Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf.
1970s
Dr. Mark Martin ’71 (Lee’s Summit, MO) received the Community Service Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards at Drury University.
Edward “Ed” Kinberg ’75 (Melbourne, FL) is a board-certified construction attorney.
Walter “Jay” Mitchell ’76 (Joplin, MO) was recently inducted into the Oklahoma Telephone Association Hall of Fame.
1980s
David “Dave” Petiford ’82 (Danbury, CT) received the Career Achievement Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards at Drury University.
2000s
Heather Manning Luby ’00 (Saint Louis, MO) was named Outstanding Adjunct of the Year by St. Louis Community College and was a finalist for the Missouri Community College Association’s Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award.
Amanda Norton Rule ’06 (Dixon, MO) started a position as Director of Operations for the Missouri House of Representatives.
Zachary “Zach” Tusinger ’07 (Saint Louis, MO) was promoted to Assistant City Administrator for the City of St. Charles, Missouri.
Summer Hilton Williamson ’07 (Springfield, MO) opened an optometry practice, Vision Gallery 417.
Anna Fluegge Kangas ’08 (Benton, MO) opened Powell’s Portables, a portable toilet company.
2010s
Andrea Cramer Harp ’10 (Springfield, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40.
Chelsey Blackwell Dollarhide ’11 MBA ’16 (Republic, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
Nacy Tai Thornsberry Ryerson ’11 MEd (Springfield, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
Conrad Remington ’12 (Austin, TX) is a Project Manager at the Municipal Advisory Council of Texas.
Cecily Robertson ’12 (Springfield, MO) recently launched The Last Chapter Deathcare, a death doula practice serving the greater Springfield, Missouri, area.
Samantha “Sam” Williams ’15 (Springfield, MO) received the Young Alumni Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards at Drury University.
Michaela Remijio ’17 (Lenexa, KS) is the Performance Marketing Manager for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Arianna Abrams-Radford Larriu ’18 (Willard, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
Vania Figueroa Hager ’19 MNCL (Springfield, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
2020s
Laura Lara ’22 (Rolla, MO) is an instructor at State Technical College of Missouri.
Melissa Heinlein ’23 (Springfield, MO) started a position with Reality Labs Legal PM team.
Rachel Tripp ’24 MNCL (Springfield, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
Marriages
Sarah Mariani ’16 to Andres Pena ’17 MArch
Births & Adoptions
Lena Marc Brandhorst to Jaclyn “Jackie” Cantrell Brandhorst ’12 and Jeffrey Brandhorst ’12
Morgan Jo Freeman to Ashley Marmouget Freeman ’15 and Aaron Freeman ’16
Savannah Wilson Ezernack ’19 has welcomed her second child.
Bailey Morse ’20 adopted a little boy.
Deaths
Marjorie Owen Cook ’47
John “Jack” Wagner ’49
Evelyn Hughes Coffey ’50
Nancy Blair Moon ’55
Mary Fields Ward ’56
Leland Brown ’58
Janet Nakagawa Ito ’59
Robert “Bob” Drake Jr. ’60
Marilyn Roark Drake ’61
Gerald “Jerry” Lancaster ’61
Charles Skaggs ’61
Orville “Bud” Wallar ’61
Price Browne Jr. ’61
Robert “Bob” Duncan ’61
James Hartman ’62
Frank Skidmore ’63 MBA ’84
Macanna McCroskey Murray ’64
Judith “Judy” Lawson ’64
Mildred “Millie” Slack ’65
Kenneth “Ken” Dixon ’65
Anthony Kendrick ’65
Edward “Ed” Heiss ’65
William “Stan” Armstrong ’66
Ruth “Anne” Holdren Moyer ’66
Vickie Rook Lollar ’66
Paul Engelmann ’67
Sally Orr Bokal ’67
Peggy Lewis Petkas ’68
Vicki Garlock ’68
James Decker ’69 MEd
Robert Jones ’69 MBA
Sallie Anderson Gibbons ’70
Robert “Bob” Naylor ’70
Elinor Heinicke White ’70
George McKinzie ’70 MEd
David Dawson ’71
Jean Davenport Killough ’72 MEd
Martha Matthews Parnell ’72
James Beller III ’73 MBA ’79
Patti Hunter Provance ’73 MEd
Marcia Hughes Rader ’73
Gary Hartwig ’73
Joseph Baker Sr. ’73
Kenneth “Ken” Hall ’74
Larry Lyster ’74 MBA
JoBeth Steinberg Stanton ’75
MEd ’78
Micky Davies ’75
Walter “Bix” Fisher ’76
David Scott ’79
George Davis ’79
Harold “Dane” Brandwein ’79
Sally McNamara ’81
Pansy “June” Litty Wright ’85, MEd ’88
Mary Beth Murney O’Reilly ’88
Dr. Rita Hamlin Barger ’89 MEd
Ilah Ann “Anne” Bone Peck ’94 MBA
Deborah Trivitt Morrissey ’94
Roman Rogers ’94 MBA ’97
Martha Vaught Tyndall ’01
Penny Rader ’09
Dennis Schellingberger ’13 MEd
Michael Mason ’18
Michael Hislope ’18
Clara Bellin Morris ’19
Gabriel Ramirez ’25
List accurate as of April 16, 2026.
Mary Beth Murney O’Reilly ’88 H’09
Mary Beth Murney O’Reilly ’88 H’09, a devoted member of the Springfield community and a cherished friend to many, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2026, at her beloved home in Florida, surrounded by her family and her loving husband of 61 years, Charlie O’Reilly, following a decades-long battle with breast cancer.
Born in Bremerton, Washington, Mary Beth lived a life defined by compassion, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to others. In 2000, Mary Beth founded the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, creating an organization dedicated to providing support, resources, and financial assistance to families affected by breast cancer across the region. Established in memory of a close friend who died at just 31, the foundation grew from a grassroots effort into a vital source of care and connection. Mary Beth personally mentored and supported countless individuals and families navigating diagnosis and treatment, offering encouragement, guidance, and practical help when it was needed most.
Service to others remained a constant throughout her life. Mary Beth held leadership roles with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, the American Red Cross, and the Child Advocacy Center, among many organizations committed to strengthening the health and well-being of the Ozarks. She also served on the Missouri Governor’s Council on Health and Fitness, contributing to initiatives focused on improving public health and building stronger communities.
Her impact on Drury University — alongside Charlie and the entire O’Reilly family — helped shape the campus in enduring and meaningful ways. Their support was instrumental in transformational projects including the Trustee Science Center, (now the Mercy Science Center), the O’Reilly Family Event Center, and the C.H. “Chub” O’Reilly Enterprise Center — spaces that continue to serve generations of Drury students and the broader community. Mary Beth studied nursing and attended Drury, earning her bachelor’s degree in 1988. In recognition of her extraordinary service and leadership, Drury University conferred upon her the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2009.
In Drury’s sesquicentennial year, Mary Beth and Charlie also helped inspire participation in the O’Reilly-Wooten Challenge, further strengthening support for students and advancing the University’s mission.
Her contributions were widely recognized, including honors as Springfieldian of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year, and Missourian of the Year in 2001. Yet those closest to her knew that accolades were never her motivation — what mattered most was helping people through difficult moments with compassion, dignity,
and care.
Mary Beth’s legacy lives on in the lives she touched, the communities she strengthened, and the lasting impact of her and Charlie’s generosity at Drury University and throughout the Ozarks.
Panther Tracks
1950s
Dr. Donald “Don” Flesche ’56 (Kalamazoo, MI) received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards at Drury University.
1960s
Dr. Karl Hales ’62 (Salisbury, NC) has been awarded admission into the Blue Masque Theatre Hall of Fame, the Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf.
1970s
Dr. Mark Martin ’71 (Lee’s Summit, MO) received the Community Service Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards at Drury University.
Edward “Ed” Kinberg ’75 (Melbourne, FL) is a board-certified construction attorney.
Walter “Jay” Mitchell ’76 (Joplin, MO) was recently inducted into the Oklahoma Telephone Association Hall of Fame.
1980s
David “Dave” Petiford ’82 (Danbury, CT) received the Career Achievement Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards at Drury University.
2000s
Heather Manning Luby ’00 (Saint Louis, MO) was named Outstanding Adjunct of the Year by St. Louis Community College and was a finalist for the Missouri Community College Association’s Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award.
Amanda Norton Rule ’06 (Dixon, MO) started a position as Director of Operations for the Missouri House of Representatives.
Zachary “Zach” Tusinger ’07 (Saint Louis, MO) was promoted to Assistant City Administrator for the City of St. Charles, Missouri.
Summer Hilton Williamson ’07 (Springfield, MO) opened an optometry practice, Vision Gallery 417.
Anna Fluegge Kangas ’08 (Benton, MO) opened Powell’s Portables, a portable toilet company.
2010s
Andrea Cramer Harp ’10 (Springfield, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40.
Chelsey Blackwell Dollarhide ’11 MBA ’16 (Republic, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
Nacy Tai Thornsberry Ryerson ’11 MEd (Springfield, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
Conrad Remington ’12 (Austin, TX) is a Project Manager at the Municipal Advisory Council of Texas.
Cecily Robertson ’12 (Springfield, MO) recently launched The Last Chapter Deathcare, a death doula practice serving the greater Springfield, Missouri, area.
Samantha “Sam” Williams ’15 (Springfield, MO) received the Young Alumni Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards at Drury University.
Michaela Remijio ’17 (Lenexa, KS) is the Performance Marketing Manager for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Arianna Abrams-Radford Larriu ’18 (Willard, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
Vania Figueroa Hager ’19 MNCL (Springfield, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
2020s
Laura Lara ’22 (Rolla, MO) is an instructor at State Technical College of Missouri.
Melissa Heinlein ’23 (Springfield, MO) started a position with Reality Labs Legal PM team.
Rachel Tripp ’24 MNCL (Springfield, MO) was honored in the SBJ 40 Under 40 2026.
Marriages
Sarah Mariani ’16 to Andres Pena ’17 MArch
Births & Adoptions
Lena Marc Brandhorst to Jaclyn “Jackie” Cantrell Brandhorst ’12 and Jeffrey Brandhorst ’12
Morgan Jo Freeman to Ashley Marmouget Freeman ’15 and Aaron Freeman ’16
Savannah Wilson Ezernack ’19 has welcomed her second child.
Bailey Morse ’20 adopted a little boy.
Deaths
Marjorie Owen Cook ’47
John “Jack” Wagner ’49
Evelyn Hughes Coffey ’50
Nancy Blair Moon ’55
Mary Fields Ward ’56
Leland Brown ’58
Janet Nakagawa Ito ’59
Robert “Bob” Drake Jr. ’60
Marilyn Roark Drake ’61
Gerald “Jerry” Lancaster ’61
Charles Skaggs ’61
Orville “Bud” Wallar ’61
Price Browne Jr. ’61
Robert “Bob” Duncan ’61
James Hartman ’62
Frank Skidmore ’63 MBA ’84
Macanna McCroskey Murray ’64
Judith “Judy” Lawson ’64
Mildred “Millie” Slack ’65
Kenneth “Ken” Dixon ’65
Anthony Kendrick ’65
Edward “Ed” Heiss ’65
William “Stan” Armstrong ’66
Ruth “Anne” Holdren Moyer ’66
Vickie Rook Lollar ’66
Paul Engelmann ’67
Sally Orr Bokal ’67
Peggy Lewis Petkas ’68
Vicki Garlock ’68
James Decker ’69 MEd
Robert Jones ’69 MBA
Sallie Anderson Gibbons ’70
Robert “Bob” Naylor ’70
Elinor Heinicke White ’70
George McKinzie ’70 MEd
David Dawson ’71
Jean Davenport Killough ’72 MEd
Martha Matthews Parnell ’72
James Beller III ’73 MBA ’79
Patti Hunter Provance ’73 MEd
Marcia Hughes Rader ’73
Gary Hartwig ’73
Joseph Baker Sr. ’73
Kenneth “Ken” Hall ’74
Larry Lyster ’74 MBA
JoBeth Steinberg Stanton ’75
MEd ’78
Micky Davies ’75
Walter “Bix” Fisher ’76
David Scott ’79
George Davis ’79
Harold “Dane” Brandwein ’79
Sally McNamara ’81
Pansy “June” Litty Wright ’85, MEd ’88
Mary Beth Murney O’Reilly ’88
Dr. Rita Hamlin Barger ’89 MEd
Ilah Ann “Anne” Bone Peck ’94 MBA
Deborah Trivitt Morrissey ’94
Roman Rogers ’94 MBA ’97
Martha Vaught Tyndall ’01
Penny Rader ’09
Dennis Schellingberger ’13 MEd
Michael Mason ’18
Michael Hislope ’18
Clara Bellin Morris ’19
Gabriel Ramirez ’25
Mary Beth Murney O’Reilly ’88 H’09
Mary Beth Murney O’Reilly ’88 H’09, a devoted member of the Springfield community and a cherished friend to many, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2026, at her beloved home in Florida, surrounded by her family and her loving husband of 61 years, Charlie O’Reilly, following a decades-long battle with breast cancer.
Born in Bremerton, Washington, Mary Beth lived a life defined by compassion, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to others. In 2000, Mary Beth founded the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, creating an organization dedicated to providing support, resources, and financial assistance to families affected by breast cancer across the region. Established in memory of a close friend who died at just 31, the foundation grew from a grassroots effort into a vital source of care and connection. Mary Beth personally mentored and supported countless individuals and families navigating diagnosis and treatment, offering encouragement, guidance, and practical help when it was needed most.
Service to others remained a constant throughout her life. Mary Beth held leadership roles with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, the American Red Cross, and the Child Advocacy Center, among many organizations committed to strengthening the health and well-being of the Ozarks. She also served on the Missouri Governor’s Council on Health and Fitness, contributing to initiatives focused on improving public health and building stronger communities.
Her impact on Drury University — alongside Charlie and the entire O’Reilly family — helped shape the campus in enduring and meaningful ways. Their support was instrumental in transformational projects including the Trustee Science Center, (now the Mercy Science Center), the O’Reilly Family Event Center, and the C.H. “Chub” O’Reilly Enterprise Center — spaces that continue to serve generations of Drury students and the broader community. Mary Beth studied nursing and attended Drury, earning her bachelor’s degree in 1988. In recognition of her extraordinary service and leadership, Drury University conferred upon her the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2009.
In Drury’s sesquicentennial year, Mary Beth and Charlie also helped inspire participation in the O’Reilly-Wooten Challenge, further strengthening support for students and advancing the University’s mission.
Her contributions were widely recognized, including honors as Springfieldian of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year, and Missourian of the Year in 2001. Yet those closest to her knew that accolades were never her motivation — what mattered most was helping people through difficult moments with compassion, dignity,
and care.
Mary Beth’s legacy lives on in the lives she touched, the communities she strengthened, and the lasting impact of her and Charlie’s generosity at Drury University and throughout the Ozarks.
Read More
Exceptional Outcomes
DRURY MAGAZINE SPRING 2026
PUBLISHER
Drury University
Dr. Jeff Frederick, President
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Levi Costello
DESIGNER
Janet Rock
WRITER
Cris Belvin
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Emma Schoeller, Rex Ybañez
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Melanie Earl-Replogle ’99,
Debbi Joiner Brose ’05
DIGITAL DESIGNER
Max Prater ’17
PANTHER TRACKS EDITOR
Kayla Warner ’21 MComm ’23
Drury Magazine, a publication for alumni and friends of Drury University, is published twice each year. The mission of Drury Magazine is to engage readers in the life of the university, reflect the university’s values and capture the intellectual curiosity and distinct community that is Drury.
The views presented do not necessarily reflect or represent those of the editors or the official policies of Drury University.
Share your thoughts with us: editor@drury.edu
Drury Fusion™ is a registered trademark of Drury University.
