Depro bequeaths $1.7-million gift to SPS Foundation

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Public Schools Foundation received a $1.7-million gift from the bequest of the late Bob Depro.

At Depro's request, the funds will be used to establish the Bob Depro Scholarship Fund and have been designated for scholarships for Sikeston High School graduates.

The local organization received the bequest recently from the Bob Depro estate.

"We are so proud to accept this tremendous gift from a true Sikeston icon," said Lauren DeWitt, executive director of the SPS Foundation. "Mr. Depro touched the lives of many Sikeston High School student with his special gift of teaching and stood as an inspiration to the entire community. We see it as a vote of confidence in the work we have done and a matter of trust that we can continue to improve the lives of Sikeston students and faculty."

Depro, who died Dec. 12, 2016, at the age of 72, spent 34 of his 52-year teaching career in the Sikeston R-6 School District, teaching social studies and history. He also called sporting events for the Sikeston Bulldogs.

"Having had Mr. Depro as a teacher when I was in high school, I saw firsthand the positive impact that he made as an educator," said SHS alum Amy Blanton, who is the chairperson of the SPS Foundation. "Over the years, Mr. Depro's involvement in many aspects of SPS made him a true fixture of our school system. He has been greatly missed since his passing."

Depro's donation to the Sikeston Public Schools Foundation will allow SHS graduates to continue to be positively impacted by Depro for many years to come, Blanton said.

The SPS Foundation is a local nonprofit organization devoted to providing classroom grants to teachers for educational enhancement and scholarships to SHS graduates.

"He was the voice of the SPS Bulldogs, face of our school system and a lifelong dedicated educator who believed in the importance of public education," Blanton said of Depro. "The Bob Depro Scholarships made possible by his generous gift will help ease the financial burden college students face."