Homecoming Parade Grand Marshals

Grand Marshals
2009:	Larry Moore (’67) & Ruth Ann (Winter) Moore ('68)
2008:	Stan & Doris (Pickens) Bohon ('43)
2007:	Dean ('41) & Amy (Ayres) ('43) Rosebery
2006:	Gerald "Shag" Grossnickle (’42) & Sarah Grossnickle
2005:	Judge James & Shari (Powell) ('58) Reinhard
2004:	Richard "Dick" Erzen ('49) Edith "Edie" (Ford) Erzen ('49)
2003:	Delbert Maddox ('37)
2002:	Harry Gallatin ('49) Bev (Hull) Gallatin ('49)
2001:	Bob Holden Lori Holden
2000:	Dwain Horn ('50)
1999:	Charles McClain
1998:	Dick Franklin ('56)
1997:	Larry Lunsford ('81, '83)
1996:	Steve Gaw ('78) Fannie (Bowdish) Gaw ('84)
1995:	B.D. "Bud" Hunter
1994:	Mary Alice Bunney ('38)
1993:	Frederick "Fritz" Lauer ('50)
1992:	Ruth Warner Towne ('39)
1991:	Larry Moore ('67)
1990:	Marshal E. L. McNeely ('40)
1989:	Martha Decker Blair (’40)

2009 Parade Grand Marshals:
Larry Moore (’67) & Ruth Ann (Winter) Moore ('68)

Larry Moore (’67) and Ruth Ann (Winter) Moore ('68) will be serving as the Grand Marshals for the Truman State University Homecoming Parade on Oct. 10, 2009. Both Larry and Ruth have distinguished service in their careers and outstanding accomplishments in community and civic leadership.

A Missouri native, Larry anchors the award-winning 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. news for KMBC-TV in Kansas City, Mo. He received a bachelor of science in education from Truman State University in 1967, and while attending the University, he was a reporter and weekend editor for the Kirksville Daily Express newspaper. He earned a master's degree in television news from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

Before becoming a television news reporter, Larry was editor and reporter for two Missouri daily newspapers and United Press International. He began working at KMBC as a reporter in 1968 and rose through the ranks to become primary news anchor in 1972. His television news reporting and anchoring have been honored by the Missouri Broadcasters Association, the Kansas Broadcasters Association, the Missouri Radio and Television News Association and the Kansas City Press Club.

Larry has been involved in the coverage of almost every major news story that has affected the Kansas City area in the past 32 years, including the Plaza flood of 1977, the Coates House fire of 1978, the Hyatt skywalk disaster, the Republican National Convention in Kansas City, the Rep. Jerry Litton plane crash, the firefighters explosion, the massive flood of 1993, the Chiefs' Super Bowl Championship, the Royals' World Series Championship, and the plane crash and death of Gov. Mel Carnahan.

He has been chosen best television news anchor by Kansas City Media Professionals and by the readers of Squire Publications, Pitch Weekly, Ingram's Magazine and Kansas City Magazine. Wednesday Magazine named him best (favorite) Southlander. Most recently, Squire Publications editors and readers honored Larry as Kansas City TV Person of the Century, and Kansas City Magazine named him as one of Kansas City's Top 10 Celebrities.

Larry is also recipient of the Zink the Zebra annual community involvement award, and he has served on community boards of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Kansas City Community Gardens, the National Lost-Child Network, the American Royal, the Ozanam Home for Boys, the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee, the University of Health Sciences, Avila College and the Kansas City Press Club.

Larry devotes much of his volunteer community work to children, and since he helped organize the Greater Kansas City Dream Factory in 1984, more than 5,500 youngsters with chronic or serious illnesses have had their dreams granted in the Kansas City area. The local chapter of the Dream Factory selected Larry to receive the Dream Maker of the Year Award for 2001, and the National Convention of the Dream Factory has honored him with the coveted Stephen K. Douglas Award.

The American Cancer Society presented Larry, who is a cancer survivor, with the prestigious Ambassador of Hope Courage Award for the cancer educational campaign that he conducted on television and in the community by sharing his personal struggle with cancer.

Ruth, who is currently on medical leave from Webster University where she is the community relations coordinator, received a bachelor of science in education from Truman in 1968 and earned a master of arts in teaching degree from Webster University. Throughout her career, she has accumulated a number of accomplishments in the areas of community service and public relations.

As director of fundraising for the Greater Kansas City Dream Factory for 11 years, she was responsible for raising $305,000 each year to help make dreams come true for chronically ill, seriously ill, and terminally ill children in the Kansas City area. She also helped organize and publicize the Dream Factory Chiefs-Royals basketball game for 10 years.

Along with others, Ruth helped originate and publicize the annual Rose Brooks Cabaret Evening, an event that raises funds for the Rose Brooks domestic abuse shelter. Now in its 18th year, the event raises more than $350,000 annually.

In addition to being a long-time marketing consultant and public relations advisor for annual auction galas at Rockhurst High School and St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City, Ruth was the public relations advisor for the American Royal. She also served as director of publicity for the Kansas City Jaycee Professional Rodeo, the largest outdoor rodeo in the Middle West, and was the public relations consultant for Senator Harold Caskey in three of his successful campaigns for the Missouri State Senate.

Ruth and Larry are co-founders of the Support Our Seminarians gala which attracts more than 1,000 people annually to raise funds for scholarships for seminary students at Conception Seminary College, and Ruth is involved in marketing, promoting, and publicizing the event each year.

The Moores own Celebrity Farms, a breeding and training operation of Missouri Fox Trotting horses. Ruth won the Ladies World Grand Championship at the World Show and Celebration in September 2009.

Larry and Ruth make their home in Kansas City, Mo. They have three daughters and two sons.