Gordon Scott Bachus, age 89, passed away Monday, July 31, 2023 at his home in Warrensburg, MO.

Gordon was born on May 29, 1934 in Little Rock, AR, the son of Jamie John Bachus and Iva Lynch Bachus. In 1974, he was united in marriage to Sheryl Ann Decker, his wife of 49 years.

Prior to his career in higher education, Gordon was a Baptist minister. He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was a minister at churches in Biscoe, Village, Mineral Springs, Earle, and Bauxite, Arkansas.  He was a minister of the Leeton United Methodist Church for eleven Years.  He graduated from Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and Religion and a Master's degree in Political Science.  Gordon earned his Doctorate Degree in Education at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR. He was a University of Central Missouri faculty member from November 1970 to May 1999.

While in Bauxite, Gordon was a History teacher at Bauxite High School as well as an Author. Bauxite would later serve as the topic of his master's thesis and the subject of his 1968 book "A Written and Pictorial History of Bauxite."

Dr. Gordon Bachus joined the faculty at the University of Central Missouri in 1970 and played an instrumental role in shaping educational leaders there for nearly three decades. During this time, he served as head of a newly formed Department Chair of the Department of Special Services, Graduate Coordinator of Educational Leadership, as well as teaching several graduate-level courses. Dr. Bachus later combined his interest in research with his love of public school education, working with many school teachers and administrators to study a wide range of topics over the course of fifteen years. Dr. Bachus retired from UCM in 1999 as Professor Emeritus of Education Administration and Adult Education.

He consumed a lot of coffee with friends at a local restaurant for 15 years. These guys discussed many national and local issues and "solved absolutely no problems".

Gordon is survived by his wife Sheryl Ann Bachus; his children Ellen Bachus Schmidt and Scott Thomas Bachus; as well as his two grandchildren, Ashley Marie Rackers (Aaron) from Ashland, MO, and Aubrey Ann Allen (Jay) from Jefferson City, MO, four great-grandchildren, Chase, Ellisyn, Presley, and Tripp, and sister Jeanie Bachus Reffner.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother John Lewis Bachus, and his sister Jamie Lee Carter.

A visitation will be held from 12:00-1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 5, 2023 at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg, MO. A graveside service will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Pleasant Green Cemetery in Pleasant Green, MO, County Road 135 and Hwy 50.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Pleasant Green United Methodist Church or to Pleasant Green Cemetery and can be left in care of Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home.