Dec. 19 – Roy Blunt becomes the second lawmaker with ties to Southwest Missouri to be inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians in Jefferson City in recent weeks.
A bust of Blunt was unveiled Wednesday during a ceremony at the Capitol, alongside busts of other famous Missourians including Harry Truman and Laura Ingalls Wilder.
“Senator Roy Blunt’s life exemplifies unique American opportunity combined with Missouri values of leadership, dedication and service,” reads the plaque beneath the bust. “He represented Missouri in Congress for more than 20 years and became a pivotal figure in shaping policy and a leader in national security.”
It also notes its support for federal investments in health research and access to mental health care.
“We all owe a debt of gratitude to Senator Blunt. He represents the best of us,” Gary Kremer, director of the State Historical Society of Missouri, said at the ceremony.
Blunt, a former history teacher, is currently president of the State Historical Society of Missouri.
It is the latest in a series of awards for Blunt this year.
In April, he was named a recipient of the 2024 Harry S. Truman Legacy of Leadership Award. The Truman Library Institute noted that Blunt is “one of only two Americans in the history of Congress to be nominated by his colleagues in both the House of Representatives are elected to leadership positions when the Senate is elected.”
In January, the Missouri Southern State University Board of Directors voted unanimously to name the health sciences center after him.
Blunt helped spearhead $2 million in federal support for the new center, which included a $2 million state match – “essentially a $4 million provision for the new building that will impact thousands of students across the state and region” , MSSU said in a statement.
Blunt’s half-century of public service included serving as Missouri Secretary of State, 14 years in the House of Representatives representing Southwest Missouri and 12 years in the U.S. Senate.
During his tenure, Blunt was a familiar face in Joplin.
He brought funds back to Missouri over the years for research into alternative and renewable energy sources, culminating in the placement of his name on Crowder College’s MARET Center in Neosho. He was a strong supporter of AmeriCorps, the federal volunteer program that was instrumental in helping Joplin recover and rebuild after the May 2011 tornado.
Blunt has also been honored for his support of Alzheimer’s research and mental health care.
The National Institutes of Health dedicated the Roy Blunt Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Building in 2022. According to the NIH: “Blunt has led efforts to increase funding for the NIH by approximately 50% over the past seven years. During this time, he focused much-needed attention and funding on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, increasing NIH funding more than fivefold. funding available for research.”
The late Ron Richard was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians last month. Richard was a former mayor of Joplin who became the only Missourian to serve as both Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives and President Pro Tem of the Missouri Senate.
