THIS SUNDAY DURING THE 10:30 AM SERVICE
Resurrection will celebrate the life of Gene Dexter during the 10:30 am service on Sunday, July 31, when his ashes will be interred in the parish columbarium.
Born: December 29, 1934 Died: March 8, 2022
Gene was born on December 29, 1934, in Independence, MO to Hale Fredrick Dexter and Gertrude Elizabeth (Sisk) Dexter. He graduated from William Chrisman High School in 1952. He held a bachelor's degree in Education, a master's degree in Counseling and a Ph.D. in Guidance and Counseling from UMKC.
On August 19, 1956, Gene married Norma Ann (Cranmer) in Independence at the Liberty Street Congregation of the RLDS Church and loved Norma for over 65 years. Gene and Norma later become members of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Blue Springs, Mo.
Gene worked 18 years for the Kansas City School District. He taught at Van Horn High School, served as the first coordinator of the KCSD Neighborhood Youth Corps, served as a guidance counselor at East, Central and Paseo High Schools and Vice Principal at Paseo HS.
He also served for 21 years as Assistant and Deputy Superintendent of the Blue Springs School District . He was chosen Blue Springs Citizen of the Year in 1983.
In 2019, Van Horn High School honored him by creating the H. Gene Dexter Prize for Excellence in Teaching and was inducted into the Van Horn Hall of Honor.
Gene was commissioned in 1956 as a Second Lieutenant of Engineers in the Missouri Army National Guard. Graduating from the U.S. Army Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses at Fort Belvoir, VA, and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, he rose through the ranks to command the 110th Engineer Battalion of the 35th Infantry Division. He later developed the Missouri Guard's Sergeants Major Academy and served as that institution's founding commandant for many years. His last position was the Missouri National Guard Inspector General. He retired in 1982 as a colonel.
Gene loved his family and served as a patriarch to many of his extended family members. He is survived by his wife Norma Ann Dexter, a son Norman Dexter and his wife Karen of Lee's Summit, a daughter Elizabeth Dexter-Manade, three granddaughters: Sydney Dexter of Kansas City, Morgan Manade of Blue Springs and Danielle Marston of Charlotte, NC, and one grandson, Coleson Manade of Blue Springs.
In memory of Gene, donations are suggested for the H. Gene Dexter Prize for Excellence in Teaching at Van Horn High School, Please make checks payable to the ISD Foundation, 201 N Forest Ave, Independence, MO 64050 with the memo "H. Gene Dexter".
