Doris Barnhart

Doris E. Barnhart, 89, died Feb. 19, 2026.

As the daughter of Bourbon and Thelma Esteppe, owners and operators of the Sturgeon Leader, Barnhart spent her childhood working around the newspaper office. She once complained to her father about the ink on her hands, and he told her that once she got ink in her blood, she would be in journalism for the rest of her life. He was right and journalism became her life’s work.

In 1972, Barnhart joined the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, where she would serve for 26 years before retiring in 1998. During her tenure, she was an essential force behind Missouri’s scholastic journalism programs. She coordinated statewide workshops, supported advisers and student publications, and helped shape programs that impacted generations of young journalists.

Barnhart also held a significant leadership role with the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, helping guide the organization through a period of national growth and transition. In 2013, she was honored with a lifetime achievement award recognizing decades of unwavering dedication to journalism and education in the state of Missouri.

She is survived by her children, Jesse, Donald, Michael, Robert, Sandra and Rhonda; 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; and even more family and friends.