Rita Sharon (Gilliam) Fugate
Rita Sharon (Gilliam) Fugate
Funeral services for Rita Sharon (Gilliam) Fugate, 81, Overland Park, Kansas, formerly of West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, October 24, 2022 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mrs. Fugate passed away at 8:10 p.m., Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at her home.
She was born in Tama County, Iowa on March 27, 1941, to Ted and Jeanette Gilliam. Rita grew up in Peace Valley, Missouri and attended St. Joseph’s grade school in White Church, and later West Plains High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Education from Southwest Missouri State University in 1962. She began her education career in Houston, Missouri in the fall of 1962. In July 1965 she married her husband and lifelong best friend and partner Royce Fugate. In April of 1967 their only son Charles was born. Rita was passionate about teaching and education. She taught for fifteen years in the Jefferson City School System, earned a Master’s Degree in Math Education from the University of Missouri, taught for two years in the Metropolitan Community Colleges of Kansas City, and served as an educational consultant for IBM, before arriving in 1993 at Missouri State University in West Plains. There she eventually served as Department Head of Math & Science and Interim Acting Dean, but the classroom was what she loved best, and she always found her way back to teaching students. She retired from teaching in 2009. Rita was always active in the Catholic parishes she attended. She belonged to and supported many civic organizations: she was a founding member of Willow Springs Community Foundation and West Plains Community Foundation, and a member of Mountain View’s St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary Foundation, Willow Springs Rotary (first female member), and Habitat For Humanity. Awards and honors she received included Willow Springs Woman Of The Year, West Plains Educator of the Year, MSU Excellence in Community Service, MSU Distinguished Faculty/Staff Award, and with Royce was inducted into MSU Founders Club. Throughout her life she took great joy from vegetable gardening, needlework, and cards (bridge and pitch–Peace Valley Rules). She enjoyed yearly lake vacations skiing and fishing, as well as time spent traveling and attending professional events with Royce at her side.
She is preceded in death by her husband Royce, parents Ted and Jeanette Gilliam, three brothers, John (and wife Lu), Mick, and Dennis Gilliam, one sister, Karen (Gilliam) Jones, and nephew Kyle Gilliam.
She is survived by her son, Charles Fugate and husband, Joseph O’Malley of Overland Park, Kansas; brother-in-law, Roy Jones; two sisters-in-law, Donna Gilliam and Karen Gilliam; nieces and nephews, Jackie Jones, Craig (Carlissa) Gilliam, Chris (Denisea) Gilliam, Curt (Kim) Gilliam, Brandin (Terra) Gilliam, Cayla (Scott) Broseus and Kristen (Lem) Kornegay; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Sunday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Rita Fugate Endowed Scholarship awarded on the Missouri State University-West Plains campus (checks payable to MSU Foundation) and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO 65775.
Mary Rowan Schwartz
October 20, 2022 @ 11:48 am
Lots of fun evenings at the Fugate house! Rita and Royce always taking an interest in all of Charles’s friends and rolling out the snacks! Will always remember Rita’s wonderful sense of humor and warmth! Prayers and love to Charles and Joseph.
Bertie Judd
October 20, 2022 @ 2:06 pm
Rita was a great friend and classmate. So Sorry to hear of her passing. She will be remembered as a special friend. Thinking about the family at this time.
Bertie and Larry Judd
Amber(Cozort)Redburn
October 20, 2022 @ 6:41 pm
The Fugate and Gilliam Families,
Our Deepest Sympathy to all of you on the passing of Rita. Prayers for all of you during this difficult time with the loss of her and Mick in a week’s time. Rita was a wonderful person. May God comfort, encourage, support, and give each of you peace. May God bless all of you.
In Christian Love,
Norris/Ivene Cozort
Tim, Amber(Cozort), and Corby Redburn
Trish Knight
October 21, 2022 @ 7:31 am
Rita was a gem and a wonderful woman. She was a good friend, excellent teacher, and mother. She holds a special place in my heart and I will always cherish those memories. My sympathies to Charles & her family.
Pam Hopkins
October 21, 2022 @ 8:13 am
Mrs. Fugate was a wonderful math teacher! She taught at Jefferson City High School when I attended in the early 1980s. Besides her excellent teaching skills, I remember her very specific rule on tardiness–if you weren’t in your seat when the bell began to ring (not when it finished ringing!), you were tardy. I learned a great deal from her, and she is one of the teachers I remember most. My sincere condolences to her family and friends on your loss. Pam (Tinder) Hopkins
Roger & Linda Samson
October 21, 2022 @ 3:00 pm
Sending our condolences to Charles, your mother was a wonderful person & had many special memories during our time during your high school years & friendship with the wonderful group of friends Randy enjoyed at your house. May God give you comfort knowing how much she was loved as a teacher, friend to all who knew her. God Bless.
Ed & Joyce Messerly
October 21, 2022 @ 8:49 pm
We were truly saddened to hear that Rita died. She was a very special lady and friend, and will truly be missed. Charles your parents were wonderful, and they loved you. God bless all of you always.
?? Ed and Joyce Messerly
Yvonne Chastonay Boyd
October 22, 2022 @ 9:43 pm
My sincerest condolences to you, Charles and to your family. She must have been a wonderful person to have raised such a great son and person. Prayers for peace for you.
Pauline Eggers
October 23, 2022 @ 3:28 pm
Charles, I just wanted to say that I admired your mother tremendously. I was a math teacher at JCHS while she was there and she allowed me to sit in on her Math Analysis class and also her Calculus Class. I learned so much about teaching those subjects from her. She was a truly great teacher who was willing to share her expertise. I took over the teaching of the calculus classes after she left Jefferson City and thought of her often. So sorry for your loss.
Mary Pendergrass, D.O.
October 23, 2022 @ 7:29 pm
To the Fugate and Gilliam families:
Our deepest sympathies to you, along with prayers for comfort.
Rita made all the difference for me during my senior year of high school when she taught me College Algebra at MSU-WP. What an incredible and caring educator she was during her time here.
Warmest regards to you all.
Heather Kamps
October 24, 2022 @ 12:12 pm
My heart goes out to all in the Fugate and Gilliam families. Royce and Rita played such an important role in my life as I transitioned to life in West Plains in 2000. Neighbors, friends, mentors – they both welcomed me and took me under their wings. They will forever have a special place in my life and their wisdom, genuine hospitality, and grace will live on in the hearts of those they touched. Much love.