Dr. Mark Scully

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Dr. Mark Finney Scully of Cape Girardeau, 92, president emeritus of Southeast Missouri State University, died at 6 p.m. May 25, 2002, at Chateau Girardeau.

Born Jan. 30, 1910, in Charleston, he was the son of the late Mark Cornelius and Bessie Finney Scully. After graduating in 1928 from Charleston High School, he passed the teaching certification exam. He received a bachelor of science degree in education and history from Southeast Missouri Normal School and master of arts degree in history in 1936 from the George Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn. In 1951, he received a doctoral degree in education form Columbia University in New York.

Scully first taught at Norfolk School from 1928-29 and at Bird's Mill School in Mississippi County from 1929-35 while a student at Southeast Missouri State Normal School in Cape Girardeau. During his career, Scully served as an elementary teacher, secondary teacher, college professor, junior college director, metropolitan public school administrator and a school system superintendent. He worked in Jackson, West Frankfort, Ill., Georgia Teacher's College in Statesboro, Festus, Paducah, Ky., and Dearborn, Mich.

He served as president of Southeast Missouri State College from 1956-72 and as first president of the renamed institution, Southeast Missouri State University, from 1972 until retiring in 1975. The education-psychology building completed in 1971 was named The Scully Building in his honor by the Board of Regents.

Scully served as secretary-treasurer of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He became the first president of a state college to sit on the Missouri Commission on Higher Education. In 1969, Gov. Warren E. Hearnes appointed him to the commission, an advisory board to the state colleges, the University of Missouri and Lincoln University.

On the 10th anniversary of his appointment as president of the school, Scully was presented with a sterling silver medallion in 1966 to be worn with the academic robe and be passed on to presidents who would succeed him. Scully remained president for seven more years until retiring on June 30, 1975.

He was a lifelong member and elder of the Presbyterian Church and served on the Southeast Missouri Executive Council of the Boy Scouts of America for many years. He was also a member of the Cape Girardeau Rotary Club and Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

On June 23, 1938, in Oakland, Md., he married Pearl Golden who preceded him in death on Oct. 12, 1998.

He was also preceded in death by one son, John Mark Scully, in 1995.

Survivors include: one son, Robert Andrew Scully of Rockford, Ill.; two grandchildren, Tracy Scully Goding of Lacey, Wash., and Heather Scully of Kansas City; and one great-grandchild, Audrey Goding.

Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel.

Services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau with the Rev. Paul Cabo Jr., pastor, officiating.

Graveside services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the IOOF Cemetery near Charleston.