APPLEBERRY

LOUISVILLE — Dr. James Bruce Appleberry died peacefully in Louisville, KY, on Monday from complications of pancreatic cancer. He was 86.

Born in Waverly, MO, he was preceded in death by his parents, James Earnest and Bertha Viola (Lane) Appleberry, his brother Earnest Dale, also by his son, J. Mark Appleberry, and his loving wife of nearly 50 years, Patricia Ann (Trent) Appleberry. He is survived by son Timothy David and daughter-in-law Bridget (Waite) Appleberry, of Louisville, Maureen Carr, of Philadelphia, and his five grandchildren: Cara Muireann, James Doulin, Helen Margaret, John Eamon and Maura Claire Appleberry.

Starting out as a public school music teacher and then principal in Knob Noster, MO, Jim’s passion for education grew quickly. He served as minister of education at a Baptist Church in Kansas City, before returning to his alma mater, University of Central Missouri, and then Oklahoma State University for master’s and doctorate. He also holds six honorary doctorates from domestic and international universities. While at OSU, he was appointed to the faculty and eventually made department chair.

He earned recognition early as a Fellow with the American Council on Education Leadership, and as intern with the Chancellor of the University of Kansas, where he would later be recruited back to serve as KU’s Director of Strategic Planning and Assistant to the Chancellor. His deep involvement with the KU Medical Center led to the center’s largest increase in state appropriation, establishing the first off-site physician staffed primary care center, linking rural and university physicians, and the early planning of the School of Osteopathic Medicine.

For seven years, Dr. Appleberry served as president at Pittsburg State University where he drove enrollment growth and established PSU’s role as the state’s technology transfer center. He also fostered programs for students from the five surrounding community colleges to transfer to PSU for a 4-year degree. Also during this time, he was selected by the US Secretary of Education to serve as Vice Chair of the National Center for Educational Statistics. Always an enthusiastic supporter of intercollegiate athletics, his final year at PSU saw every sport, save one, involved in national competition.

His career brought him to the Upper Peninsula in 1983 for eight years as president of Northern Michigan University where he formed the Northern Economic Initiatives Center, which had ripple effects regionwide on reducing unemployment. While at NMU, Appleberry also served as a member of the President’s Commission of the NCAA, and chair of Division II. He helped establish the first US Olympic Education Center for future and past Olympic athletes. He launched a program for children of former graduates to attend at in-state rates, established more than 25 alumni chapters nationwide, started Northern’s first professional fundraising organization, and began support groups for NMU’s theatre and art gallery.

He is credited with long-range strategic planning involving more than 100 donors. At NMU, Dr. Appleberry was proud to have secured funding for the Superior Dome, the largest wood-dome sports venue. Working with Berkley atomic energy scientist Dr. Glen Seaborg, he also helped create the Glen Seaborg Center for Science and Mathematics at NMU. He was pleased to play a major role to retire the university’s student housing bonds during his tenure, which erased the debt and opened opportunities for major campus development. He spearheaded the university’s computer access policy for all students.

Dr. Appleberry shifted to the national spotlight when he took the helm at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities — one of the “Big Six” organizations that work with the US President and Congress in Washington, D.C. — to develop higher education policy. Cited at that time by the Secretary of Education as the “most influential individual in student aid policy,” Dr. Appleberry developed effective electronic connections for presidents of public universities for more than 425 AASCU members. He expanded the New Presidents Academy, the Senior Presidents Academy and established the Millennium Institute to identify and prepare underrepresented populations in academic leadership.

His international activities were significant. He was an executive in the International Association of University Presidents, and on the Fulbright Committee traveling to Vietnam ahead of US-Vietnam diplomatic relations. He was instrumental in linking more than 70 American universities with counterparts in China.

He and Pat retired in Louisville where their sons were starting a business and growing their young families. In retirement, Appleberry joined a national consulting firm helping recruit academic leaders for colleges and universities. His civic involvement everywhere he lived is evidenced by his Louisville activities, some of which included Actor’s Theatre Board of Directors and its Advisory Council, Louisville Executive Club, Association for the Louisville Orchestra, Galen College of Nursing Board and Rotary. He was a 33rd Degree Mason and a member of Kosair Shrine and Jesters. Later in life he trained volunteers for the Red Cross and electoral poll workers.

He was a member of Second Presbyterian Church in Louisville where he served on numerous committees and as Elder. A service to celebrate his life will be there Saturday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m. with a family burial service in Waverly Cemetery (Missouri) beside his loving wife at a later date. Memorial gifts may be made to the James B. and Patricia Appleberry Fund for the Fine and Performing Arts, Smizer Center, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 64093.