Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation Board of Directors
(click photo for a closer view - photo by Bailey Portrait Gallery)

1st row, left to right - Ron Wolf, Edwin S. Turner, Bonnie Mitchell, Lynn C. Hoover, Alvin D. Cohen
2nd row - Julie Bothwell, Kenneth Churchill, Rusty Black, Don Chapman, Jr., E.L. Reed, Kristi Smith Wyatt
3rd row - Eric S. Turner, Laura Lee Gayfield, Larry Warren, Lauri M. Shemwell, Merle Doughty
4th row - James Summerville, James P. Valbracht, Bill Jackson, Lowell Mohler

The annual meeting of the Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation was held on May 11, 2010, in Chillicothe, Missouri, at the newly completed Litton Agricultural Education Center.

Managing directors of the foundation are Lynn Hoover, President; Ed Turner, Vice President; Bonnie Mitchell, Secretary-Treasurer; Alvin Cohen; and Ron Wolf. Founding director Merle Doughty was elected Director Emeritus.

Advisory directors are Rusty Black, Julie (Radcliff) Bothwell, Don Chapman, Jr., Kenneth Churchill, Laura Lee (Summerville) Gayfield, Bill Jackson, Lowell Mohler, E.L. Reed, Lauri (Mitchell) Shemwell, Eric Turner, Jim Summerville, James P. Valbracht, Larry Warren and Kristi Smith Wyatt. 

The meeting was followed by a reception and dedication dinner for the new building.

Grand River Technical School Ag Instructors
(click photo for a closer view - photo by Bailey Portrait Gallery)

2009-2010 Agriculture Education Instructors
Row 1: Matt Trussell, Leda Schreiner, Rusty Black
Row 2: Keith Dietzschold, Jim Grozinger, Brian Thompson

In April, 2009, the board held its first meeting after the death of the late Mildred Litton, co-founder of the foundation. (More on Mildred Litton) First established in 1976 by Charley and Mildred Litton, Mildred assumed the presidency of the organization after Charley's death in 1980.

Upon her instructions, the foundation was to be reorganized by creating a five-member group of managing directors and up to 15 advisory directors. 

Members Hoover, Turner, Mitchell, Cohen, Chapman, Churchill, and Doughty were charter members of the organization. Other charter members were the late Pat Crabtree, Charlie Reed, Ken Harden, the late Oscar Cooke, and Clifford and Vivian Summerville. Jim Summerville joined the board in 1980 and E.L. Reed in 1996. The late Mary Ellen (Mrs. Joel) Valbracht served as director from 1981 until 2007.

The foundation supports agricultural, educational, and athletic activities in memory of the Jerry Litton family. Primary focus is given to Chillicothe and Livingston County, but support may be provided to other qualified projects within the state.

The Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation may be reached at their permanent office at 409 Washington Street in Chillicothe, Missouri. The mailing address is P O Box 695, and the telephone number is 660-646-5050.

Foundation Grant Guidelines and Application

The Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation is a private foundation established in honor of Jerry Litton, son of Charley and Mildred Litton, and his family, all of Chillicothe, Missouri. The Foundation’s Articles of Incorporation allow it to consider grant proposals for a broad range of projects and goals, but all grants made must be used for exclusively literary, educational and charitable purposes.

You may download, view and/or print our complete guidelines and grant application here.
(28KB PDF)

Grant application forms may also be obtained by contacting the offices of the Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation, 409 Washington Street, P O Box 695, Chillicothe, Missouri, 64601.

Grant applications may be submitted at any time. The Board meets periodically to consider applications. Grant applicants will receive notice of the decision of the Board. Grant applicants may be required to sign a Grant Award Agreement before receiving grant funds, and will generally be required to report the detailed expenditure of grant funds to the Foundation.

CAPTION: The Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation is awarding $500,000 to the Chillicothe FFA Alumni Association to help fund construction of the new agricultural education building at the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center. Pictured are, front row, from left: Randy Constant, R-2 board president; Dr. Linda Gray Smith, R-2 superintendent; Bonnie Mitchell, Litton Foundation secretary/treasurer; Ed Turner, Litton Foundation vice president. Back row, from left: Rusty Black, Jim Grozinger and Leda Schreiner, agriculture instructors; Merle Doughty, Don Chapman Jr., Kenneth Churchill and Jim Summerville, Litton Foundation board members.

Click here for complete article...

New Ag Education Center Dedication and related press 05/15/2008 to present...

Litton Inducted into State Fair Hall of Fame
Published: Friday, August 21, 2009, C-T

CAPTION: Mildred Litton
C-T File Photo

SEDALIA, Mo. — Mildred Litton was inducted into the Missouri State Fair Hall of Fame on Sunday, August 16 in Sedalia. She was selected posthumously for induction into the Missouri State Fair 4-H Hall of Fame because she was instrumental to the success of many youth programs in Livingston County, according to state 4-H officials. They also noted that Litton’s legacy continues today through the work of the Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation.

Missouri 4-H recognizes outstanding individuals for their service and dedication to 4-H by honoring them with membership in the Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame. Each inductee is recognized and presented with a plaque at the Missouri State Fair. Fellow club members, families and friends of the inductees are invited to attend. Ron Wolf, co-director of the Grand River Technical School, accepted the award on Litton's behalf.

CAPTION: Mildred Litton was inducted posthumously into the Missouri State Fair 4-H Hall of Fame on Sunday in Sedalia. Ron Wolf, co-director of the Grand River Technical School, (right) accepted the award on her behalf during the ceremony. He stands with Bud Herzog, chairman of the 4-H foundation (left).

C-T Submitted Photo

For more information and photos on Mildred Litton, visit our HISTORY page...

Litton Center KIDS Grant
03/12/2010

On March 12, 2010, first grade students from Dewey Elementary school came to the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center for an educational visit. This educational experience was made possible by the Litton Center KIDS Grant, sponsored by the Litton Family Foundation. Click here for complete press release and photos...

$34,000 Presented to FFA Members During Annual Awards Banquet
April 29, 2011

C-T Photo / Amanda McKay

CAPTION: Among the most prestigious awards distributed at the 2011 annual FFA Banquet and Awards Ceremony were the Litton Awards. Pictured at front, from left: Michaela Mammen, Litton Livestock Award; Lauren Dietzschold, Jerry Litton Memorial Scholarship; Micheala Simmer, Litton Livestock Award; Back, from left: Bonnie Mitchell, Stephen Cook, Rusty and Karie Black Litton Award; John Davis, Jerry Litton Memorial Scholarship; Ed Turner and Karie Black. Read complete article here...

$10K Gift to Barton Campus
June 21, 2011

CAPTION: Steve Maxey, left, director of the North Central Missouri College Foundation, accepts a $10,000 gift from Bonnie Mitchell and Ed Turner, officers of the Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation. The funds are to be used for development of the Barton Farm Campus of North Central Missouri College.

Read complete article here...

More Than $35,000 Presented to FFA Members During Annual Banquet
05/01/12 CT

C-T Photo / Drew Van Dyke

CAPTION: More than $35,000 in awards and scholarships were handed out at the 2012 FFA Banquet April 30, 2012, at Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center. Much of that came from the Litton Awards. Pictured back row, left to right were the awards' sponsors: Karie and Rusty Black, Eric Turner - vice president of the Litton Foundation - and Bonnie Mitchell, also of the Litton Foundation. Front row, from left, are Litton Award winners: Cody Kannianen, Jennifer Waits, Haley Thompson, Lara Hopper and Trevor Long. Read complete article here... | View the CT photo gallery here...