William Heyde III

William “Bill” Albert Heyde III, 78, of Cape Girardeau, formerly St. Louis, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016, at Southeast Hospital.

He was born Oct. 6, 1938, in Jackson, the son of William Albert Jr. and Bernice Fitzpatrick Heyde. Bill was a proud graduate of Jackson High School, Class of 1956, where he fell in love with teaching, literature, history and debate.

He earned a bachelor of science degree in secondary education, with majors in history and English, from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1960. While at Mizzou, he participated in the debate team and was a member of six different honorary societies. In 1961 he earned a master of science in education from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. He completed all but his dissertation for the doctorate in American studies at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

A love of reading and formal education fed his desire for being a lifelong learner. Throughout the years, he completed summer National Endowment for the Humanities seminars in literature at Louisiana State University (Southern Literature—the Black Experience) and Southeast Missouri State University (Faulkner) and the International Education Consortium in St. Louis. A devoted lover of good literature, Faulkner was his favorite. In fact, he named his dogs Faulkner, Caddie, Beauchamp and Cleity, after either the great author himself or characters in his stories.

His parents thought he was applying to the University of Missouri with the intent to be a lawyer and were quite shocked to discover he had chosen education, history and English! (His mother was even more shocked to realize Bill got the love of teaching, especially teaching, from watching her inspire students and their discussion of every book he read.)

Bill began his teaching career at Ladue High School, where he taught English language and literature for 33 years, serving as chairman of the English Department for 30 years. While on the faculty of Horton Watkins High School, he developed courses in composition, grammar, a variety of American and world literature, and participated on the team that developed the Innovation Program, which focused on the seminar approach to learning. His composition program won national recognition. The seminar approach was written up in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He loved teaching students of all abilities, designing courses for basic skills as well as the talented and gifted.

Because he enjoyed argumentation and the joy of teaching others how to construct a sound argument for their viewpoint — even if he did not agree with the viewpoint — he started the debate team in 1969, affiliating with the National Speech and Debate Association (the NFL) in the same year. Team members first qualified for the national tournament in 1973, receiving its charter from the National Forensic League in 1975. Bill coached 28 national competitors, including the highest-ranked competitor in the state of Missouri and the district. In 1983, the team earned the Leading Chapter Award, which reflects sustained excellence in the activity. At the district level, Bill also coached 19 district champions, earning the district trophy three times. Bill coached a state champion in policy debate and another in poetry. Bill earned his first Diamond in 1977 and his second Diamond in 1982, reflecting 3,000 coaching points and 10 years of coaching. He ended his coaching career with 4,110 coaching points.

Bill also served on the board of governors for the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri and was a founding member of the Greater Saint Louis Speech Association. In 2014, the Ladue Education Foundation recognized Bill for his leadership in developing the debate program and his role in preparing students with critical thinking and clear written and oral communication skills.

Bill was a founding faculty member of the Missouri Scholars Academy (MSA), and taught at the Academy for over 25 years. Each year, Bill’s generosity allowed scholars whose families were in need of financial assistance to purchase clothes and/or to seek medical/dental assistance. It also allowed him to treat all other faculty members each summer at a dinner that celebrated excellence in teaching and in learning. His constant positive messages to students and colleague defined creative collegiality. To Bill, every event was cause for rejoicing and learning. Bill’s love of Jackson, his hometown, and of MSA meant he took special pride in watching the lives and careers of MSAers from Jackson develop.

Upon retirement from Horton Watkins, he taught English at the Louis and Sarah Block Yeshiva High School for 18 years, where he was inducted into the Teacher Hall of Fame in 2008. He also taught English as an adjunct professor at Maryville University and, earlier in his teaching career, he taught at Christian Brothers College. In 1994, he was a finalist for the Missouri State Teacher of the Year Award.

Bill was a lifelong member of Phi Delta Kappa, the National Education Association, the Missouri State Teachers Association (member of State Executive Committee, Professional Way Award of the Greater St. Louis Teachers Association (GSLTA), president, first vice president, organizer of GSLTA and Outstanding MSTA/CTA Leader) and Ladue Community Teachers Association. He held a range of positions in each ranging from organizer to president. He was also a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Missouri Association of Teachers of English, and the American Institute of Parliamentarians. He often was called upon to use his parliamentarian skills in situations requiring negotiations within organizations. He also participated on North Central Visitation teams that evaluated public and private schools for purposes of accreditation.

Baptized and raised in New McKendree United Methodist Church, he was active in the Wesley Foundation at Mizzou and Webster Hills United Methodist Church in Kirkwood, Missouri. At Webster Hills, he served in a variety of positions, receiving recognition from his church, his district superintendent and the bishop for his service and commitment to developing the faith of others. He led confirmation, taught children, youth, adults, Disciples Bible Study and This We Believe. He was a certified lay speaker, filling the pulpit as called. At Chateau Girardeau, he participated in Bible study and worship. Faith and joy in the Christian life were essential to his daily living.

Loving survivors include his sister, Adelaide (Robert) Parsons of Cape Girardeau; his sister-in-law, Gene Heyde; a nephew, Timothy (Stacy) Heyde of Niceville, Florida; a niece, Lisa (Curt) Vogel; a great-niece, Kylie Vogel; a great-nephew, Jacob Vogel of Atlanta; and his close friend, Henry Kauffmann, and children, Melissa (Tyler) Hauptmeier of St. Louis and Chandra (Alan) Baker of Phoenix, and their children Layna, Will, Grady, Benson and Henry Baker of Phoenix, and George Glass of St. Louis. Cousins Jane Ella Potashnick and Heyde Yount live in Sikeston, Missouri.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Col. Thomas (Gene) Heyde and Phillip G. Heyde; his “son,” Jay Kauffman; and special friend, Florence Raschke.

Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Road in Kirkwood, Missouri.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Private interment will be at Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.

A memorial service for William Albert "Bill" Heyde III will be Saturday at New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson, the Revs. Jimmy Corbin and Jim Woeltje officiating. Time of service is 10 a.m. There will be a visitation beginning at 9 a.m.

Pallbearers include Timothy Heyde, Todd Rendleman, John Douglas Potashnick, Phil Dodson, Dr. Alan Baker and the Rev. Tyler Hauptmeier.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks a donation be made to one of the following: Chateau Girardeau Van Fund, Jackson School Foundation or New McKendree United Methodist Church.

Bopp Chapel in Kirkwood, Missouri, is in charge of the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks a donation be made to one of the following:

• Missouri Scholars Academy, University of Missouri (Ted Tarkow, A&S Dean’s Office), 317 Lowry Hall, MU, Columbia, MO 65211. Subject line: Mo. Scholars

Academy Development Fund (C7044; Bill Heyde)

• Ladue Education Foundation, c/o Kristen Wild
• Chateau Girardeau Van Fund, 3120 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO 63703
• Jackson School Foundation, 614 E. Adams, Jackson, MO 63755
• New McKendree United Methodist Church, 225 S. High, Jackson, MO 63755.