The latest inductee into the Hall of Famous Missourians is Norm Stewart, a man whose name is synonymous with Mizzou basketball.
Norm Stewart stands next to his newly-unveiled bust that has been added to the Hall of Famous Missourians. (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
Norman Eugene “Norm” Stewart coached the University of Missouri basketball team for over three decades. He played at Mizzou from 1952-1956 before briefly pursuing professional baseball and basketball and coaching at the University of Northern Iowa. Stewart’s 32-year tenure at Mizzou yielded 734 wins, eight Big Eight titles, and 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, earning him Coach of the Year honors.
Diagnosed with colon cancer in 1989, he founded Coaches Vs. Cancer, a renowned initiative that has raised millions of dollars in the ongoing fight against cancer. Today, Norm Stewart remains a beloved figure in the Mizzou community, his legacy serving as a constant source of inspiration for Tigers past, present, and future.
Stewart was chosen as an inductee to the Hall by House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-St. Louis), who said “Today … we celebrate more than championships and victories. We honor a man whose legacy of passion and excellence inspires us all. Norm Stewart: forever a Tiger, forever a legend.”
Stewart was born in 1935 in Leonard, Missouri, a village that at the time had fewer than 200 residents. He said he spent the first five years of his life in a one-bedroom home with three siblings before the family moved to nearby Shelbyville. They didn’t have running water until he was a sophomore in high school.
Virginia Stewart is recognized by her husband, Norm, at his induction into the Hall of Famous Missourians. (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
Stewart thanked and praised his family, particularly his wife.
House Speaker Dean Plocher and the Missouri House of Representatives are honored to announce the induction of Marie Watkins Oliver into the Hall of Famous Missourians.
Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher stands alongside the newly unveiled bust of Marie Watkins Oliver with her great-great grandson, Jack Oliver. (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
Marie Watkins Oliver, hailed as the “Betsy Ross of Missouri,” played a pivotal role in crafting the Missouri State Flag. In 1908, Oliver, the wife of Senator Robert Burett Oliver and a resident of Cape Girardeau, headed the committee formed by the Daughters of the American Revolution and took on the challenge of creating an official state flag.
Her resulting masterpiece integrated red, white, and blue, symbolizing Missouri’s federal ties while embodying local autonomy and self-governance. The central coat-of-arms denotes Missouri’s geographical significance, while twenty-four stars on the blue band mark the state’s place as the twenty-fourth state in the Union. Each color carried profound meaning: blue for vigilance, permanency, and justice; red for valor; and white for purity.
Despite setbacks, such as the loss of her original flag in a fire, Oliver’s resilience triumphed. Following numerous attempts to secure legislative approval, the Oliver Flag was officially adopted as the state flag on March 22, 1913. The silk flag she crafted stands proudly in Jefferson City, serving as a timeless testament to Oliver’s lasting legacy.
In recognition of her efforts and impact on the Show-Me State, Speaker Plocher presented the bust for Oliver as the latest member to join the Hall of Famous Missourians.
“In honoring Marie Watkins Oliver’s induction into the Hall of Famous Missourians, we celebrate not just a woman of historical significance, but a visionary who stitched together the very fabric of our state’s identity,” House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, said. “Like the stars on our flag, her contributions shine brightly, reminding us of the resilience and creativity that define Missouri. It’s a privilege to recognize her pivotal role in shaping our history and heritage.”
A woman described as a “political trailblazer” is the latest inductee into the Hall of Famous Missourians.
The bust of Annie White Baxter, being added to the Hall of Famous Missourians, is joined by Representatives Sonya Anderson, Gina Mitten, Peggy McGaugh, and Ann Kelley (L-R). (Photo courtesy: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
Annie White Baxter was the first woman elected to public office in Missouri and the first female county clerk in the United States. Baxter was elected Jasper County Clerk in 1890, 30 years before women were eligible to vote. She later served as the state registrar of lands from 1908 to 1916, and as the financial secretary of the Missouri Constitutional Convention in 1922.
Baxter earned a reputation as one of the state’s best county clerks. She played a role in the planning and early work in constructing the current Jasper County Courthouse. Then-governor David R. Francis named her an honorary colonel for her work, leading to one of her nicknames, “Colonel Baxter.”
“Today is such a proud moment in the preservation of our Missouri history,” said Wendy Doyle, President and CEO of the Women’s Foundation.
Doyle said this recognition for Baxter is long overdue, and will inspire future generations.
“It is important to recognize women’s historical contributions in historic sites, state parks, and other public spaces. We are stronger when we can see ourselves in the lives and legacies of those who came before us … we know that recognizing the historical contributions that women have made in the past is an important part of empowering and inspiring women of all generations today,” said Doyle. “Today is a moment of great Missouri pride.”
The House Speaker selects inductees to the Hall. Speaker Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield) said people like Baxter paved the way for those who have influenced his life and the lives of those close to him.
Women’s Foundation President & CEO Wendy Doyle speaks during the ceremony to induct Annie White Baxter in the Hall of Famous Missourians. (Photo courtesy: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
He said it was his mother who was the first political advisor in his life, “who really gave me the words of wisdom that ended up putting me on course to take the job that I have today. I pass that along to my children, especially my three daughters who will grow up in a world where they don’t have to think about not having the opportunity to vote and not having the opportunity to run for office. It’s moments like these that I feel especially excited about not just what we’ve learned from the past but about the future of our state and our country,” said Haahr.
Current Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis said Baxter’s efforts lead the way for women not just in his county or Missouri, but nationwide.
“Today I cannot even imagine our country or our counties or our state being run without women … but you know there are places all across this globe that women don’t have the right. They don’t have the right to vote, they don’t have the right to participate in any politics, and I think some of that needs to change, because I look at our country. Our country is much better today than it was in 1890 when Annie White Baxter was the first woman elected in the State of Missouri and the first woman elected as county clerk in our country,” said Davis.
Baxter’s induction came one week after the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. Doyle called that an event of, “great significance for Annie White Baxter, knowing she oversaw the very elections that she couldn’t even vote in.”
The Hall of Famous Missourians is located in the third floor Rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol, between the House and Senate chambers. Others in the Hall include Walt Disney, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Josephine Baker.
The latest inductee into the Hall of Famous Missourians is a country music legend from Missouri whose career spanned decades.
Porter Wagoner was born in Howell County in 1927. Wagoner was known for his flashy, rhinestone covered suits; a boisterous personality on stage; for his television show that spanned two decades; and for launching the career of another country legend, Dolly Parton.
Wagoner’s career took off after he sang on a local radio station out of the grocery store where he worked as a meat cutter. From there he was hired by Springfield radio station KWTO and then signed with RCA Records.
His hits included Green, Green Grass of Home; The Carroll County Accident; and Misery Loves Company. He also wrote songs that were hits for other artists and recorded a series of top ten duets with Parton, including Please Don’t Stop Loving Me, which became a number one hit in 1974.
Wagoner joins other famous Missourians including Mark Twain, Dred Scott, and Jack Buck in the Hall.
The Hall is located in the third floor Rotunda in the Capitol, between the House and Senate Chambers.
