Sikeston Public Schools Foundation receives $1.7 million gift

SIKESTON, Mo. — The Sikeston Public Schools Foundation received a $1.7 million gift from the bequest of the late Bob Depro.

At Depro’s request, the funds will be used to establish the Bob Depro Scholarship Fund and have been designated for scholarships for Sikeston High School graduates.

The local organization received the bequest recently from the Bob Depro estate.

“We are so proud to accept this tremendous gift from a true Sikeston icon,” said Lauren DeWitt, executive director of the SPS Foundation. “Mr. Depro touched the lives of many Sikeston High School students with his special gift of teaching and stood as an inspiration to the entire community. We see it as a vote of confidence in the work we have done and a matter of trust that we can continue to improve the lives of Sikeston students and faculty.”

Depro, who died Dec. 12, 2016, at the age of 72, spent 34 years of his 52-year teaching career in the Sikeston School District, teaching social studies and history. He also called sporting events for the Sikeston Bulldogs.

“Having had Mr. Depro as a teacher when I was in high school, I saw firsthand the positive impact that he made as an educator,” Sikeston High School alum Amy Blanton, chairwoman of the SPS Foundation, said. “Over the years, Mr. Depro’s involvement in many aspects of SPS made him a true fixture of our school system. He has been greatly missed since his passing.”

The Sikeston Public Schools Foundation is a local not-for-profit organization devoted to providing classroom grants to teachers for educational enhancement and scholarships to SHS graduates.

“He was the voice of the SPS Bulldogs, face of our school system and a lifelong dedicated educator who believed in the importance of public education,” Blanton said of Depro. “The Bob Depro Scholarships made possible by his generous gift will help ease the financial burden college students face.”

Pertinent address:

Sikeston High School, Sikeston, Mo.