Dr. Irvin W. Cockriel

Dr. Irvin Wayne Cockriel, surrounded by his family, passed away on July 4, 2026, in Columbia, Missouri at the age of 91. Irvin was born on April 15, 1935, on the family farm in Platte County, Missouri, to Ella Glen Baber and Clifford Earl Cockriel. He married his beloved wife, Sandra Cheryl Harlan, on May 31, 1958. Sandy and Irv lived in Columbia, Missouri, for nearly 60 years, cherishing this nurturing community. They joined Memorial Baptist Church on their first Sunday as residents, and it was a vital part of their lives. Irv and Sandy enjoyed singing in the church choirs. Irv served as a Church Deacon for many, many years and served as Chairman of the Deacons multiple times.

Irv grew up on the family farm without running water or electricity. After Irv graduated with his bachelor’s degree and began his first job as an industrial arts teacher at Center High School in Kansas City, he and Sandy paid to have indoor plumbing installed in the family farm home.

Irv was a Cub Scout, then a Boy Scout, and finally earned the rank of Eagle Scout. In 1950, Irv represented his Boy Scout troop at the Second International Boy Scout Jamboree in Valley Forge, Virginia. President Harry Truman spoke at the Jamboree! Irv also visited New York City on that transformative trip – where he “got to see and touch many things that I had only read or heard about.”

Irv and Sandy were loving parents to Steven, Mark, and Julie (Sanders)– devoting countless hours to attending football, basketball and baseball games, gymnastic meets, plays, and vocal and piano concerts.

Irv had a wide range of interests. An avid gardener, Irv was well known for his delicious homegrown tomatoes and towering sunflowers. Irv was also a devoted photographer – even creating his own “dark room” in the basement of the home he helped build for the family on Bob-o-link Drive in Columbia, Missouri. He enjoyed taking photos during all the traveling he and Sandy did over the years – visiting most of the countries in Europe, Indonesia, and China!

Irv played tennis with his buddies until his late 80s; even competing in the Senior Olympics. Irv also enjoyed genealogy and spent countless hours identifying both his and Sandy’s ancestors back several generations.

Irv also loved to sing – starting in church as a boy, continuing through college, then at Memorial Baptist Church and later at Lenoir Woods Retirement Community. He and Sandy often sang in two choirs at the same time!

Irv loved sports and played football in high school and for one year at Northwest Missouri State University. Irv and Sandy had season tickets to many of the University of Missouri’s sports teams over the years – including football tickets for over 50 years.

Irv received a Bachelor of Science in Education (Industrial Arts) from Central Missouri State College in 1957. He received his Master’s in Education from Central Missouri State College in 1958 – the same year that Sandy earned her Bachelors of Science in Education. They wed shortly after their graduations.

Irv earned his Doctorate in Education from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1970. He was a fixture in the College of Education at Mizzou from 1964 until he finally retired for the fourth time in 2018 while serving as Department Chair. Irv held many positions in the College of Education, including Director of the Honors Program, Coordinator of Teaching Certification, Department Chair, Associate Dean of Grants and Contracts Research, Associate Dean of Graduate Students and Research, and Associate Dean of Academic Programs. In 1972, Irv sponsored MU Delta, the College of Education’s chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, and was active at the national level.

Irv received many awards for his teaching and administrative service to the College of Education, but he treasured being the first recipient of the Gold Chalk Award from the Graduate Student Association in 1998. This prestigious, student-nominated honor recognizes exceptional faculty educators and mentors. He also received a Citation of Merit for Outstanding Achievement and Meritorious Service to Education from the Alumni Association and was named the College’s Advisor of the Year twice.

Irv also played a major role in increasing grants and donations for the College of Education. From 1974 to 1987, Irv organized phonathons to raise funds for the College. During this period, the number of endowed scholarships increased from 6 to 68, and the principal amount of those endowments increased from $43,000 to over $1.3 million.

Irv survived his loving wife, Sandy, who passed away on March 9, 2025. Sandy and Irv hosted many enjoyable family reunions with their children, spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. As grandparents, they took each grandchild on a trip of their choice (visiting Alaska three times!). Sandy and Irv loved to travel domestically and internationally, especially enjoying trips with friends.

Irv is lovingly remembered by his sons, Steven Cockriel (Danna) and Mark Cockriel (Cynthia), and by their daughter, Julie Sanders (Riley). He was a doting, supportive grandfather to Amanda Jane Jones (née Cockriel), Samuel Cockriel, Will Cockriel, Tim Cockriel, Madeline Cockriel, Aster Sanders, and Rachel Sanders. Irv was also a great-grandfather to eleven!

Rather than sending flowers, please consider contributing to the Irv Cockriel Endowed Education Fund through the University of Missouri (use this link: mizzou.us/IrvCockrielMemorialGifts). Sandy established this scholarship in Irv’s honor in 2000 to provide scholarships to graduate students in the College of Education.

Visitation is scheduled for Saturday, August 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m., both at Memorial Baptist Church, 1643 Paris Road, Columbia, Missouri