Co-founder of The Maneater leaves 52-year legacy

By Jewels Phraner

Published Aug. 28, 2007

Jim Willard, who helped Joel Gold found The Maneater in the spring of 1955, died Sunday, Aug. 26, 2007. He was 73.

But he leaves behind a newspaper in its 53rd year of publication, which is the last thing at MU that bears his name, his son Rob Willard said.

Mr. Willard was born Jan. 29, 1934 in Camdenton, Mo. to Timothy Detweiler and Thelma (Chandler) Willard. He graduated from Camdenton High School in 1951 and graduated from MU with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1955.

The semester before he graduated, he was asked by Gold to serve as The Maneater's first business manager and co-founder of The Maneater.

"Jim was the lone adult among children," Gold said. "I would want to do strange things, and if they involved money, Jim's first reaction would be 'I don't know if that will work,' but he would always find a way to make it work."

Rob Willard said his dad had always had a lot of fun with The Maneater.

Steve Oslica, the current editor-in-chief of The Maneater, said the staff always looks to their predecessors for inspiration.

"The 'you've been warned' and student watchdog attitudes come from that first staff," he said. "While I didn't know Mr. Willard, we are all sad to hear he passed away because he is partly responsible for our purpose. The Maneater wouldn't be quite the same without him, and the rest of that first group of staffers."

In fact, The Maneater might not have existed without Mr. Willard's influence.

Gold said he would not have applied to be editor of The Missouri Student — which became The Maneater under his direction — unless Mr. Willard had agreed to be his business manager.

"(Working at The Maneater) was the best years of my life," Gold said. "And Jim was responsible for that."

In addition to working for The Maneater, Mr. Willard also served as treasurer of the Missouri Students Association, president of the Men's Residence Hall Association and a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa secret society.

After graduation he served in the U.S. Air Force until 1957, when he returned to MU for law school. He graduated from MU once again, this time with a law degree, in 1960.

Mr. Willard practiced law in Kansas City for 42 years, working for the firm Spencer, Fane, Britt and Browne.

He married Elizabeth Buffe on Aug. 1, 1963, and they had five children. She died three years ago.

Rob Willard said he and his father were extremely close.

"I was very lucky," he said. "I had a father, hero, mentor and best friend all in the same guy. He was very caring and very supportive."