April 19, 2021
Jan Horton: A legacy of passion, purpose and service to community
With sorrow, we share the news that Jan Horton, the CFO’s first employee and first President, died Sunday following a brief illness. She was 87.
We often credit the CFO’s growth and geographic expansion to standing on the shoulders of the giants who brought the community foundation model to reality in Greene County and then across central and southern Missouri. Jan was clearly among those giants.
She joined the CFO in 1988 as Executive Director, moving the all-volunteer organization forward with the commitment of a full-time staff member. She was named President in 1993 and served in that role until she retired in 2003.
The growth of the CFO was just one of Jan’s accomplishments as a community leader.
When Jan joined the CFO, 15 years after its founding in 1973, the foundation’s assets were $1.7 million. When she left 15 years later, assets had climbed to $52.5 million for the CFO and its 19 regional affiliates.
She was immensely proud that her work helped anchor our position as the region’s largest public charitable foundation with assets today exceeding $370 million and affiliate foundations in more than 50 communities.
The growth of the CFO was just one of Jan’s accomplishments as a community leader. She will be greatly missed, but Springfield and the greater Ozarks region are better places because of her.
Memorial information will be shared at a later time.
