Walter Cronkite memorial opens in St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- A memorial to the late television news legend Walter Cronkite opens this week in the northwest Missouri city where he was born.

Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph is planning an unveiling event today on what would have been the newsman's 97th birthday. Gov. Jay Nixon and Cronkite's cousin, former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes, will be on campus.

Housed in Leah Spratt Hall, the memorial features a memorabilia case, photographic display and timeline chronicling the life of the broadcaster known as the "Most Trusted Man in America," the St. Joseph News-Press reported. There also are interactive kiosks that will show footage of news events covered by Cronkite and autobiographical video of Cronkite talking about his life.

Cronkite signed off for the final time as anchor of the "CBS Evening News" in 1981. He died in July 2009 at the age of 92.

"It's a labor of love to do a memorial for someone like Walter Cronkite, who is really worthy of being memorialized," said Bob Vartabedian, Missouri Western's president. "That's the bottom line. You start with a great person, and then it just evolves in a very positive way that I think this has."

The cost of the memorial is in the $250,000 range. Vartabedian said most of the funds come from the David and Shirley Bradley Memorial Fund, which was established at the university in 1988.

"I think people will be very impressed. I think we will see people coming from all around, not only in this country but the world, to see it," Vartabedian said.

Jerry Pickman, executive director of the Western Foundation and chairman of the Walter Cronkite committee, said a team of about 15 to 20 people worked together on the layout and design of the exhibit.

"People recognized what we were trying to do and have bent over backwards to help us out," Pickman said.

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Information from: St. Joseph News-Press/St. Joe, Missouri, http://www.newspressnow.com