Date of Birth:  9-15-28

Place of Birth:  St. Louis MO

Dr. Kenneth H. Niemeyer was born in St. Louis, Missouri, September 15, 1928.  As a young child he moved with his parents to the Niemeyer family homestead in the Missouri River bottom near Treloar MO.  He began his formal schooling in a one-room school also located in the Missouri River lowlands.  He attended high school in Warrenton MO making a fifty-mile round trip daily.  In 1946 he graduated from Washington High School, Washington MO, where his family moved after leaving the farm.  Repeated flooding by the Missouri River made farming operations extremely high risk ventures. 

Immediately following completion of high school, he joined the U.S. Navy.  (He convinced reluctant parents to “sign” for him since he was not of legal age to join without parental permission.)  He was enlisted for three years; during that time one year was spent serving on the USS Tarawa.

Upon discharge from the Navy, he enrolled at the University of Missouri and was subsequently admitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1955. 

While attending the University, he married Margaret R. Rennick.  Their son, Russell William, was born in 1956.

Following graduation, Dr. Niemeyer practiced small animal medicine and surgery in the Haigler Dog and Cat Hospital in St. Louis MO.  Shortly after the move to St. Louis, he was offered a position on the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri.  His return to the campus resulted in a teaching and administrative career covering 39 years.  Positions held at the college included Instructor/Professor of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery; Director of Small animal Medicine and Surgery; Director of Small Animal Surgery (block system); Associate Chairman of the Dept. of Medicine and Surgery; Assistant Dean of Student and Alumni Affairs; Associate Dean for Academic and Alumni Affairs.

While serving in the Dean’s office, his major responsibilities included new student selection, admission procedures and student advising.  He developed the early phases of private fund raising; initiated the first summer program for minority students, introducing them to the profession of veterinary medicine; organized the first veterinary book store; brought the services of the University’s student financial aid officer directly to the veterinary campus; served as liaison between the University and private architects during the development and construction of Clydesdale Hall.

Professional memberships include American Veterinary Medical Association, where he chaired the Minority Affairs Committee; Missouri Veterinary Medical Association; East Central Missouri Veterinary Medical Association; University of Missouri Alumni Association, where he served as long term treasurer for the College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association; University of Missouri Jefferson Club, where he established the Kenneth H. and Margaret R. Niemeyer Lecture Fund.

In his community, Dr. Niemeyer served as board member of the Columbia Humane Society and President of the Columbia Cosmopolitan Breakfast Club.

In 1986 Dr. Niemeyer was named Alumnus of the Year by the College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association.  In 1993 the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association selected him as Veterinarian of the Year.  The CVM Alumni Association established a scholarship in his honor, which is presented to a CVM student each year.  He has also received the Distinguished Service Award from the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Dean’s Impact Award.

Following retirement from the University in 1992, Dr. Niemeyer continued to support the CVM by serving as Co-Chair of the college’s 50^th anniversary and serving as member of the CVM Development Fund Committee.