Vencil Jean Bixler, age 84, died on November 3, 2015, after a brief illness. He was born in Versailles, Missouri, to Ira and Bessie Bixler. After graduating from high school in Eldon, Missouri, he spent four years serving in the US Navy during the Korean War. In addition, he served as a Navy reservist for an additional 29 years. After completing his tour of duty with the navy, he finished an undergraduate and a Master's degree at what was then Southwest Missouri State University. In 1970 he completed a PhD in Finance and Accounting at the University of Missouri. He became a faculty member in the Department of Business in 1963 at SMSU where he remained until 1999 when he retired from full-time teaching. During his teaching career, he met and mentored many fine young people who have remained in touch with him over the years. He enjoyed teaching and working with young people. One of his special interests was developing a program in the Department of Business in Insurance studies. He also saw early on that computers were going to be a very big program. Today they occupy a large space in the College of Business. He also taught accounting and finance and served as a department head for a number of years. A program that he founded and led was called New York Studies. It was designed to give students from southwest Missouri an understanding of commerce and life in a larger setting. To that end he took about twenty students to New York City every other year for a whirlwind tour of large companies, the New York Stock Exchange, the opera, the museums, New York City subway, and so much more. Many students who participated in this study found it life-changing. After his retirement, Vencil continued to make used books available to students through a book sale that he held several times a year in Glass Hall. This gave him opportunity to stay in touch with students and to help them make their dollars go a little further. He was awarded the Golden Bear Award for his efforts in 2012, something he was immensely proud to have. Vencil will be sorely missed by his immediate family, his wife Frances, his daughter, Dana O'Regan, and his son, David Bixler. Dana, married to Kevin O'Regan, has two daughters, Morgan and Michelle. Morgan, who is five years old, understood that her "Papa" was going to die, and she brought her colorful pictures to give him comfort, along with her little sister, Michelle. David, married to Julie Sanders, has three daughters, Meredith Lewis, married to Ryan Lewis, Amanda Fronzaglia, married to Brian Fronzaglia, and Whitney Wade, married to Garret Wade. Meredith also provided Vencil with his first great grandchild early this year, Reagan Elizabeth Lewis. Vencil is survived by his brother, Donald Bixler, married to Linda Stevens. They reside in Kansas City along with their three children, Debbie Bixler, Dan Bixler, and Lori Graham and a host of loving friends who have walked this last journey with him. Visitation will be held at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home on Friday, November 6, at 10:00 am-12:00 pm and then again later in the evening on Friday at 6:30-8:30 pm. A memorial service will take place at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church at 10:30 am on Saturday, November 7, 2015. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Vencil with a donation may make them to the First and Calvary Foundation or the Vencil Bixler Hall of Honor fund at the College of Business at Missouri State University. If you wish to donate to the latter fund, please contact Dr. Stephanie Bryant, Dean, of the College of Business. Burial will be at Greenlawn Cemetery.