HE PAVED THE WAY... SEMO REGENT DON HARRISON DEAD

Donald L. Harrison made a career of paving roads first for a growing interstate highway system and later for students seeking an education.

Harrison, 72, died Friday at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He collapsed at a Christmas party held Friday at the Cape Girardeau Country Club.

A private funeral service will be held Monday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Southeast Missouri State University.

Harrison served on the university's Board of Regents since 1989, including five years as president of the board. Harrison was also a major financial benefactor to the university.

Southeast honored his longtime commitment by naming the business school the Donald L. Harrison College of Business.

Education, especially higher education, was a top priority for Harrison, his friends said.

"He really believed in higher education," said Dr. Kenneth Dobbins, executive vice president at the university. Dobbins and Harrison had been next door neighbors.

"He told me he wanted to give back to the region and to the university which gave so much to him," Dobbins said.

"Don was an individual who gave generously of his time, talent and treasure," Dobbins said. "The university has lost a friend and the Southeast Missouri region has lost a leader."

Harrison was the first person from Southeast that Dr. Dale Nitzschke met when he interviewed for the job of university president.

"I could tell he was wrapped up in this university," Nitzschke said.

"He was one of the most insightful and decisive individuals I've ever met," Nitzschke said. "Even in the last six to eight months, when he was struggling with health problems, he never wavered in that capacity to get right to the heart of the issue.

"To me, he was a very gentle and kind man," Nitzschke said. "He was an interesting mix of personality, decisive and firm and gentle and kind. That's what made him so effective.

"He has made a tremendous impact and the kind of impact that will live on forever," he said.

Many people are aware of Harrison's financial commitments to the university, fellow Regent Doyle Privett from Kennett said.

People also respected him, his intelligence and his ability to get things done, he added.

"It was his ability to handle situations on the spur of the moment that always really impressed me," Privett said. "He was always a nice and very caring individual."

Martin Hecht was born the same year as Harrison in Cape Girardeau. Their fathers were close friends and the boys grew up together.

"We have been friends for all these years," Hecht said. "He was a wonderful person and he will be missed."

Hecht said Harrison wanted to see the business school at Southeast developed. And whenever Harrison saw something that needed to be done, Hecht said, he would step forward and make it happen.

"A lot of people will benefit from that building. It will be a wonderful thing for many years to come," he said.

Harrison and Hecht, like their fathers before them, served on the board of directors at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Both served on the hospital's foundation board.

The board room in the hospital's new addition is named the Harrison-Hecht Board Room in honor of their fathers.

In the early 1950s, Harrison's family was involved in the paving, mining and quarry businesses in Illinois. In 1953, he and his associates saw the opportunities presented by the start of construction of the interstate highway system and began forming new companies to handle the various phases of road building.

These operations were responsible for the building of many miles of the primary and interstate highway systems in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, including long stretches of Interstate 57 in Illinois and Missouri, Interstate 70 in mid-Missouri, and Interstate 55 between St. Louis and Arkansas.

Harrison pioneered the Delta Group of companies, which specialize in the building and maintenance of all phases of highway construction.

From 1965 to 1980, his company was the general contractor for building several sections of the Pan American Highway in the republics of Guatemala and El Salvador.

In 1992, he sold the Delta and Southern Illinois companies to Colas U.S. Inc., a subsidiary of Colas S.A. of Paris France. He remained chairman of the board until his retirement in 1995. He remained on the board of directors until his death.

Joe Regenhardt, who worked with Harrison in the highway construction and rock quarry businesses, said, "Our two families go way back. This is a second generation business."

The leadership traits evident in his work at the university, were honed in business, Regenhardt said. But always, education was a top priority.

"He was very, very high on education," Regenhardt said. "This is his big thing -- helping the educational system, especially the university.

"He will be missed. This is a tremendous loss."

Harrison was born April 29, 1925, at Kansas City, son of Arthur William and Maria Patton Harrison. He and Joan Barderheier were married last June 19 in St. Louis. She survives.

He is also survived by three sons, Reginald B. Harrison of Fruitland, Christopher Harrison of Fremont, Calif., Donald L. Harrison II of Farmers Branch, Texas; a daughter, Mary Patricia Bigas of Naples, Fla.; a brother, Jack Harrison of California; a sister, Caroline Sheets of Cape Girardeau; and three grandchildren.

He graduated from Western Military Academy in Alton, Ill., in 1942 and attended Southeast Missouri State University for two years before transferring to Yale University in 1944.

Harrison served two years in the Army and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal before his discharge in 1946. He returned to Yale and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1948.

Harrison was a member of many clubs and social organizations, including Port Royal Clubs of Naples, Fla., Cape Girardeau Country Club, Cape Girardeau Lions Club, Mensa Society, Missouri Athletic Club, Racquet Club of St. Louis, St. Louis Club, Stadium Club of St. Louis, Yale Club of New York City, Yale Club of St. Louis, World President Organization, New York and Naples, Fla., Young Presidents Organization.

He was also involved in professional organizations, including Associated General Contractors of America, National Asphalt Pavement Association, Missouri Asphalt Pavement Association, Missouri State Highway Engineers Society, Senior Executive Organization of St. Louis and World Business Council.

The Rev. Clayton Smith will officiate at Monday's private funeral service. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Cape Girardeau with military graveside rites performed by VFW Post 3838. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.