By Meliyah Venerable / Managing editor 

The Eckilson-Mabee Theatre was filled with friends, family, students and other faculty and staff from the college on Friday, to pay their respects and remember the life of Professor Larry Stockman. 

Larry Stockman taught at Missouri Valley College for over 30 years. Throughout those 30 years, he touched many lives. The lives of his colleagues, his students and family. 

Stockman was born in Marshall, Missouri but grew up just outside of Alma, Missouri. After graduating high school Stockman went to Central Missouri State for just a semester. 

After that semester, he would go on to have various jobs, in various states. But he later returned to Missouri and finished college at Central Missouri State. While there Stockman became passionate about economics, then he came to Missouri Valley to share his passion and teach students.

For the past 18 years, he has been the Chair of the Business Division. Throughout his decades of teaching, Stockman has taught some of the business professors that Valley has now. Milena Simic and Larry Godsey have both been students of Stockman before teaching beside him. 

The ceremony began with a song special to Stockman, the Missouri Valley College Fight song. Though it is not traditional, his family insisted it is what he would have wanted because of his love for the college. 

Dr. Bonnie Humphrey spoke about her friendship with Stockman, and the love he had for Missouri Valley.

“Larry Stockman was my friend for over 20 years,” She said. “ He was supportive and loyal to Missouri Valley College. He was a great teacher. He positively impacted the lives of thousands of students during his 35-year career. He was a good colleague, he had a quick gravely laugh and he liked to use it. He was loyal to the faculty in his division and he was very proud of it. He was proud of his students and stayed in good contact with many of them. And he was a Valley guy. He wanted the best for the institution and Larry had the gift that some faculty don’t have. He could see the vision for his own division, but he could also see the vision for the school. And wanted the best for Missouri Valley.” 

Faculty in the business division got to share their stories and memories that they were able to share with Stockman. They all described him so well, that even if you never met him you could see just how much impact he has had on each of their lives. 

Milena Simic talked about the development of their relationship throughout the years. From professor and student to family. 

“Professor Stockman was the first name that my husband and I got to know,” Simic said. “He was a professor in one of our graduate student classes. And this happened some 20 years ago so we go way back. Quickly after school Professor Stockman became Mr. Stockman, the boss and the mentor. Then eventually he became Larry, which means our friend and our family.”

Each speaker talked about how special Missouri Valley College was to him, and it seems he is just as special to the college community. 

“He is the icon I see at Missouri Valley College.” Larry Godsey said. 

The business department will miss Larry Stockman but they will continue to be inspired by him daily. The 14th annual Maastricht Institute of Entrepreneurship will be held April 11-13th. This event was thought of and planned by Stockman and will continue to live on in his honor. 

There have been no selections made to take the Chair of the Business Division. As far as classes, other business professors have taken over classes for the rest of the semester.