Southeast Missouri State official dies

Dr. Melvin D. "Mel" Gillespie, assistant to the president for equity issues at Southeast Missouri State University, died Sunday in a St. Louis hospital, school officials said Monday.

A family member reported that his death was apparently caused by a heart attack, said Art Wallhausen, associate to the president at Southeast. No funeral arrangements were disclosed as of late Monday afternoon.

Gillespie, 58, had served in the administration position since July 31, 2003. He previously served as director of the office of economic opportunity at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Va.

He had a 20-year career in the Air Force, including a four-year tour of duty as director of social actions and instructor at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

From 1984 until his retirement from the Air Force in 1987, he commanded a technical advisory unit in Kenya, developing an extensive computer system for the Kenyan defense department.