UMSL Retirees Association

SAVE THE DATE UMSL RETIREES ASSOCIATION HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
Friday December 12, 2025, 11:30 am.  Glen Echo Country Club. 
3401 Lucas and Hunt Rd., St. Louis, MO 63121

A MESSAGE FROM OUR NEW PRESIDENT- Connie Jeffries

Welcome to the UMSLRA! I’m happy to be serving as your President this year and even happier to be backed up by a wonderful cast of committee chairs and members who are working diligently, mostly behind the scenes, to make your UMSLRA even better.

We are continuing our Breakfasts with Your UMSLRA this year, and they’ve gotten off to a great start. Thanks to the efforts of Events Chair Joel Glassman with support from Mike Murray, the first breakfast, with the timely topic of Property Tax Reform in Missouri was very successful and well attended. Also well attended was a visit and tour of the International Institute in South St. Louis.  Our second breakfast is scheduled in a couple weeks. Sticking with timely topics, the November breakfast will address tariffs and how we might expect them to impact all of us.

I was excited to move our UMSLRA Board meetings to the campus this year. While retired faculty who remain in the St. Louis area might maintain a connection with campus by having an office or perhaps doing research on campus, retired staff tend to lose that connection all too quickly. Having now been retired for 14 years, I feel I lost that connection many years ago. For the first five to seven years of retirement I would come back to campus to have lunch with former colleagues and catch up. Now I don’t think there’s anyone left on campus that I know! So, while we continue to have a good relationship with Glen Echo, I see real benefit from holding more events on the campus if we can. Staying connected - feeling connected - is vital to a satisfying retirement.

Losing a spouse or partner is an experience many dread - and too many of us have had to navigate in retirement. I am no exception. I decided to continue to do one thing my husband and I loved to do, and that was to road trip. We’d driven hundreds of thousands of miles criss-crossing the US and Europe, and I was determined to continue that. I also started pursuing a couple of interests I’d set aside during our years together - photography and hiking. My first solo trip was to the southwest. On my third solo day on the road I stopped to hike at Seminole Canyon State Park, along the Rio Grande in Southwest Texas. When I arrived at the trailhead I realized this might also be my first solo hike off the grid - no cell service. So I dropped a pin on my maps app and sent my daughters a text to let them know exactly where I was, and when to expect to hear from me again. There was one other vehicle in the parking area - a nice surprise.

About an hour into the hike I ran into the owners of that other vehicle - a very friendly “elderly” couple who might have actually been younger than me. We exchanged introductions and pleasantries, and I mentioned I’d been retired for seven years. Oh, and this was my first solo hike off the grid. The gentleman stared me the eyes and said “No. You’ve not been retired for seven years. You’ve been LIVING for seven years.” I’ve carried that morsel of wisdom with me since then. I’ve driven a lot of miles since then and hiked thousands of miles. I’m grateful retirement has given me not just the luxury of time to do absolutely nothing if I choose, but also the luxury of LIVING each of those miles. And LIVING each day of retirement.

Staying connected to former colleagues from UMSL, re-connecting with those with whom I’d lost contact, and making new connections are just some of the values UMSLRA has added to my life. Just one more value added to LIVING this retirement. Here’s hoping you experience that same benefit!.

Retiring President Tom Eyssell handing the gavel to new President Connie Jeffries  

RETIREE OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Congratulations to our 2025 Retirees of the Year! Cindy Vantine and William (Howard) McAlister are the staff and faculty retirees of the year, respectively, and were honored at the Chancellor's State of the University Address at the Touhill PAC on August 29. 

Lucinda “Cindy” Vantine retired from UMSL in 2018 from her position as Director of University Events. Over many years at the university she developed a career in which she was appreciated by all with whom she worked, whether faculty, staff or student. Cindy now continues that same unwavering commitment to the community through service, leadership and mentorship. She serves as president of her HOA and President of the Artist Presentation Society, a 77 year-old organization that encourages and promotes exceptional young early career musicians in the Midwest. She is an ensemble member of the Cornerstone Chorale and Brass, a social justice music organization of professional singers, brass players and percussionists, and has toured internationally with this group. She is the Minister of Music serving as organist and choir accompanist at the Lutheran Church of Atonement in Florissant and continues to serve as both singer and event organizer for the Bel Canto Chorus of St. Louis. When she is not using her many talents to uplift and lead others, she can be found on the UMSL campus taking classes, doing water aerobics, and attending performances at the Touhill. She continues to be one of UMSL’s biggest supporters and advocates in the community.

William (Howard) McAlister, Emeritus Associate Professor of Optometry, retired in 2018. Since then he has made great strides both in academic research and professional service which bring global recognition to UMSL. He has authored 6 peer reviewed journal articles and has delivered 11 conference presentations, 6 of which were at international meetings. He has received 4 prestigious awards that recognize the profound impact he has made across the broader healthcare community. Dr. McAlister freely donates his time and experience to, for example, the World Council of Optometry, the Board of Directors for the Voluntary Optometric Service to Humanity/International, and the Optometric Historical Society Committee of the American Optometric Association. Most recently he was appointed as an UMSL representative to the International Optometric Educators Committee of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. Such post-retirement contributions continue to enhance the prestige of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Cindy Vantine and William (Howard) McAlister

The 2025 Annual General Meeting of the association and the spring luncheon was held on Friday, June 6.

Of note were the following election results and appointments:

President-Elect: Clark Hickman (1yr.)
Treasurer: Faith Lucas (1yr.)
Secretary: Candace (Candi) Agnew (1yr.)

Joel Glassman was elected to the Board (2yr.) 
Susan Moody was elected to the Board (2yr.)
Michael Murray was elected to the Board (2yr.)

Deborah Kettler and Helene Sherman, both former Presidents, and Mimi Duncan completed 2-year Board member terms and were thanked for their wonderful service to the Association. Candi Agnew, former Board member and Secretary was elected and appointed Secretary. Steve Spaner resigned as Treasurer to address family issues.  Steve was the conscience of the Association keeping us all on track for many years. He was recognized for his many years of excellent service to the Association. He served for about 5 years a Secretary and from 2012 through June 2025 as Treasurer

The Spring 2025 UMSL RA Newsletter is now available. Archived issues are available by clicking Newsletter in the left hand column

UMSLRA MEMBERS GATHER FOR THE 2024 ANNUAL HOLIDAY LUNCHEON!
RA members ended the year with our annual Holiday Luncheon on December 13 ^th. Approximately 60 RA members and guests had a wonderful lunch at the Glen Echo Country Club and, as shown in the accompanying images, a good time was had by all! Many thanks to the UMSLRA Planning and Events Committee – Cindy Vantine, Debbie Kettler, and Grace Kennedy – for making this another successful  event!

Stay in contact with your Retirees Association. We now have an e-mail address:  UMSLRA@UMSL.EDU<

One of my goals as current president of the UMSL Retirees Association is to make sure that our members are made aware of the multitude of opportunities for engagement that membership offers. We have a full slate of events scheduled in the coming months.

See the Updated Calendar of Events and Meetings for Spring 2025.

 UM HR contact for UMSLRA. Ted Stahl is the contact. See the tab in the column to the right or see the important phone number list.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

It is that time again! The 2025-2026 RA Membership Renewal Campaign is under way.  It is simple as 1-2-3. Log on to www. umslalumni.org/rarenewal25 ,fill out the enrollment form and pay online or by check. 

Planning and Events Committee

FALL OUTING 2024 .On a beautiful October 13, Sunday, the UMSLRA held its annual Fall event at the Chandler Hill Winery. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious, and the company even better! Thanks to the Event Planning Committee – Cindy Vantine, Debbie Kettler, and Grace Kennedy – for arranging this experience! And a tip of the topper to Wendell Smith for buying mimosas for the group!

OTHER RECENT EVENTS

Your Retirees Association typically sponsors several events throughout the year that are fun and informative. An Events Archive is available of the events held since 2015.  This is found in the left hand column.

Please note the existence of the Retirees Association Facebook page. Administrators include Clark Hickman, Steve Spaner and Lol Barton.

Attention Retirees:

Don't forget to join or rejoin the University of Missouri-St. Louis Retirees Association. The membership year is from June 1 to May 31.

Presentation of the UMSL-RA Membership Card grants the following:

• Annual Luncheon and Business Meeting, courtesy of the Chancellor.
• Access to events and programs of the UMSL Retiree Association
• 10 % discount at the University Triton Store in the Millennium Student Center,
• Up to 25% discount on tickets to events at the Touhill Performing Arts Center,
• Admission to the Department of Recreational Sports classes at the active faculty/staff rate,
• Admission to the UMSL Recreation and Wellness Center at the active faculty/staff rate,
• A free Campus parking permit, available 7:30 am – 5:00 pm at Office of Parking and Transportation, 44 Campus Police Building

Annual dues are $15. Or, for the most convenient option, join as a lifetime member for just $125.

If you are a new or renewing member, simply click on the new enrollment form (2025) and pay online by credit card. If you prefer to pay by check, the same link will give you the information you will need to do so.

In June 2015, at the UMSL-RA annual meeting the membership passed a motion to accord a dues-free first year for new retirees. If you have just retired, click on this enrollment form and complete the form online checking the "free-newly retired" box under the membership type.

And, volunteer to serve on a committee - There are three committee choices:

• Communications
• Membership
• Planning and Events

Contact President Connie Jeffries    to volunteer.
Your help is needed to keep our organization going. 

2025-2026 Retirees Association Board

(Updated after the election on June 14, 2024)