Dr. Glenn Coltharp, longtime educator, former Crowder College president dead at 65

Dr. Glenn Coltharp, who maintained a positive attitude throughout the past few months as he battled serious health problems, died today at age 65.

Coltharp's death was announced in a Facebook post from Hazel Coltharp, his wife of 42 years:

This is the most difficult post I think I’ve ever written, because I have to say goodbye to my best friend, our kids’ dad, and my husband.

To try to sum up Glenn Coltharp as simply “husband” or “spouse” doesn’t quite tell the whole story. As many of you who know him, you know that he dedicated his entire 40+ years to the field of education.

He often said that he accomplished more than he (or one of his elementary, and maybe a few other teachers) thought he would.

How prophetic that one of them told his Forrest and Barbara that perhaps Glenn should find a trade or vocational school, so he did retiring 2.5 years ago as President of Crowder College.

Most of you know him as someone that always had a story, but a story with purpose; a joke, again with purpose if not always appropriate, and someone that helped thousands of his fellow humans.

Since word spread of Coltharp's passing, his Facebook page has received one testimony after another to the positive effect he had on people's lives.

Coltharp's career path was outlined in an August 2022 Joplin R-8 School District news release when he was named interim principal at Royal Heights Elementary School.

Coltharp recently retired as President of Crowder College after earlier serving as vice president at Crowder and in various positions in the School of Education at Missouri Southern State University.

Prior to his career in higher education, Coltharp served at the K-12 level as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, middle school and elementary principal. He was also Principal of the Missouri State School for the Severely Handicapped and has taught kindergarten, second, and fourth grades.

As a graduate of Pittsburg State University, Coltharp received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, Master of Science degree in Elementary School Administration, and a Specialist degree in Education and School Administration. He later received his Doctorate degree in School Administration from Kansas State University.

After serving at Royal Heights, Coltharp again returned to education, serving as interim Diamond Middle School principal for most of the spring 2023 semester.