Poplar Bluff loses passionate leader, preservationist

When Colvin McDonald, 80, of Poplar Bluff died Saturday, the community lost a man they remember for his work in preserving and maintaining the Wheatley Historical Preservation District, as well as his leadership.

Those who knew him used words like vision, dedication, strong force, passion and commitment to describe him.

Former Poplar Bluff City Councilman William Turner and McDonald were friends for more than seven decades.

“He was a good friend,” Turner said. “He was a pillar of the community. He was on the founding board for the Wheatley Historical Preservation group. We worked together in many venues.”

Turner called McDonald a “tremendous friend and confidant to me. When I needed him, he was always ready to go.”

Turner recalled when many of the Black community moved out of town, McDonald “remained here” and continued to work in the community.

Turner said when the Poplar Bluff School Board was planning to get rid of Wheatley, McDonald opened the discussion about why did they have to get rid of the school.

That was when the district “turned Wheatley School over to the community.”

Poplar Bluff Historic Preservation Commission chair Emily Wolpers said, “Colvin was passionate and committed to preserving the history of Wheatley School and the Garfield District, even traveling to St. Louis to help support the nomination for the Garfield District to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.”

Wolpers said McDonald always was “available to help preserve and promote Wheatley School and the Garfield District and share their important heritage. Colvin was also a compassionate person, quietly seeing about those in need.”

Preservation specialist Terri Foley recalled McDonald as “a wonderful man. He tried to get the program off the ground for four years” before it happened.

“He was an advocate of trying to educate the community on the African American history of Poplar Bluff and knowing the importance. In order to move forward, (you) have to look at the past history,” Foley said. “Value the lives that come before them.”

Foley said African American history is not documented in newspapers and photographs, but it is documented in people.

McDonald and Turner helped document the Civil Rights movement in Poplar Bluff.

McDonald “paved the way and opened the doors for the African American history to be documented and that district to be listed in the National Historic Register,” Foley said.

Missouri House Rep. Jeff Shawan recalled McDonald by saying, “It is often said everyone is replaceable. In the case of Colvin McDonald, that is not true. He was a cornerstone for protecting the Wheatley and Garfield heritage and will be sorely missed.

“His work will continue on. His support was vital for the Historical Preservation Commission to accomplish the historic designation of the Wheatley, Garfield area.”

Former City Manager Mark Massingham said McDonald was superintendent of the water and sewer department when he retired.

“Colvin was a really dedicated person, not only to the city, but to his family and the African American community,” Massingham said.

Rex Rattler, who will offer McDonald’s eulogy, said he was one of the original people to work to establish the Wheatley Historical Preservation District.

“He had visions for the area and for the school,” Rattler said.

McDonald, along with Clarence Jones and Turner, were leaders in the movement.

Calling him “a triumphant leader who defiantly assumed his rightful leadership,” Rattler said, McDonald attempted “to get it done all of his life.”

As far as church, McDonald and his family, including his parents, have always been active in Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church.

McDonald followed his dad in becoming a church deacon, Rattler said. He was a trustee/chairman of the financial committee.

“He was very instrumental in community activities,” Rattler said. “He was a strong force in the direction of our community.”

As a supervisor for the city, McDonald hired people who have retired from the city or who are soon to retire.

“He was a vital part of the city, community and school for years and years,” said Rattler.

Poplar Bluff City Clerk Nevada Young recalled McDonald’s passion for preserving his church and Wheatley School, which he loved.

Young recalls the night the city council voted on the historical district, McDonald brought his whole Sunday school class.

When Young asked him who was with him, he told her “they need to experience our history of the church and schools. They need to be personally involved.”

Young recalls when she needed certain documents, she’d call McDonald. He and Turner would dig for hours to come up with material.

She remembered he took his grandson to the state meeting when they presented the request to be a historic district.

He told Young, “If he experiences it, it will become a passion for him.”

Young recalled listening to McDonald talk about Wheatley and Pleasant Hill church as he sat on the wall by the church and closed his eyes.

“You realized he was definitely in that moment. He was just an amazing man,” she said.

A walk-through visitation will be held from 10-11:45 a.m. Saturday.

A closed service for family/close friends will begin at noon at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 913 Garfield St., Poplar Bluff.

Deacon Rex Rattler Sr. will deliver a words of comfort message. Burial will take place at Poplar Bluff City Cemetery at a later date.

A full obituary appears on page 4 of today’s edition.