Zoe Rexroad

Educator, Author, Artist —

BORN JAN. 24, 1917, in Bates, Mo., as Zora Marie Dalgetty, she received her elementary and high school education in Audrain, graduating as head of the senior high class. She received a scholarship to Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar where she attended only one year. In those days, she could teach in rural schools after that amount of schooling. Rexroad taught in rural schools for eight years, going to college in the evenings, summers and weekends. She received  a bachelor and master’s degree from Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg.

After leaving rural schools, Rexroad taught in Miami, Butler and Harrisonville schools. She has had numerous magazine articles published, and has written five books for the junior high level. In addition to being a successful author, Rexroad is also an artist and has paintings hanging in a number of Bates County businesses. “I like to paint. It fascinates me. Taking a plain white canvas and adding color to make a scene is fascinating,” she said.

Over the years of teaching, painting and writing, Rexroad said she thought writing has been the most rewarding because of the response. She said children especially will write and say how much they like a book.

Zoe Rexroad died on September 24, 2007 in Adrian, MO at the age of 90.