New memoir from retired MSU campus minister honors meaningful connections in the Ozarks

During his 34 years as Missouri State's campus minister, Howard Cavner continually met students who were "amazed" at the stories he would tell about his upbringing in the Ozarks. Inspired, he began to file his stories away in manila folders, hoping to revisit them later on.

Upon retiring in 2018, Cavner did revisit these folders, which ultimately resulted in his first book, "Ozark Saints: Honoring People of the Ozarks through Stories and Imagination." Released in December 2023, the memoir is a blend of nine fiction and nonfiction short stories based on relationships Cavner fostered in the Ozarks. All of the stories are based on real people in his life, but some of the details are fictionalized.

"A part of the reason I wrote the book is just to say, 'thank you' to some of these people, because not everyone is as fortunate as I've been to be surrounded by who I have come to consider saints, and I think anybody can be a saint," Cavner said.

One of Cavner's favorite short stories in the book is featured in chapter eight, "Hickory Was Not a Tree." The five-page chapter is about Cavner's late German Short-Haired Pointer, Hickory. Although this information is not featured in the book, Cavner said Hickory was a well-trained dog and the two would often visit local Alzheimer's units, where Hickory would cheer up patients. In "Ozark Saints," Cavner depicts Hickory visiting the neighbors for breakfast, napping after lunchtime, pretending to eat turtles and uncovering snakes in the backyard.

A story that is almost entirely fiction is featured in chapter four, "Speaking French." It centers around a lapel pin that belonged to Cavner's late aunt Liz, written as Aunt Lizzie in the book.

"I built that story all around this small lapel pin that her son, my cousin, found in her jewelry box. She died a few years back and when he was going through her things he found this pin and it says, 'Toujours Pret' and it's French for 'Always ready,'" Cavner said. "For awhile, we couldn't figure out where that pin came from or what it's significance was for her, so I just imagined and I built this story all around her character."

After some research, Cavner and his cousin learned that the label pin belonged to Liz's second husband, who served in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. "Toujours Pret," or "Always Ready" is the regiment's motto, Cavner said.

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A particularly special short story is featured in the book's last chapter, "Goodnight, Sweetheart," which is a tribute to Cavner's late mother.

"That was the way my mom said goodnight to me every night, 'Goodnight, Sweetheart,' even toward the end of her life when we moved her here to Springfield," Cavner said. "I would go down and be with her every evening and see her and she would still tell me, 'Goodnight, Sweetheart.'"

Though, the character in the book's final chapter is based on Cavner's mother, he said the majority of the story is fiction.

In addition to giving thanks to those who've helped him along the way, Cavner said "Ozark Saints" serves as a time capsule for the region. Specifically, Cavner is looking forward to passing these stories on to his daughter.

"I didn't want these stories to be lost," Cavner told the News-Leader.

'I'm very proud to be a hillbilly'

Cavner was born in Monett and moved to Branson when he was six months old. At the time, Branson's population was only about 1,200, he said. Today, Branson's population nears 13,000.

After graduating from high school, Cavner pursued a biology degree at College of the Ozarks, which was then, School of the Ozarks. Cavner's mother worked at the private university in Point Lookout, so his tuition was free. After graduating, Cavner worked as a meat cutter at a local grocery store for about a year before moving to Columbia, where he obtained a master's degree in rural sociology from the University of Missouri.

While working on his master's degree, Cavner began thinking about attending seminary. While attending College of the Ozarks, the pastor at Cavner's hometown church, Branson Christian Church, asked him if he had ever considered becoming a minster. At the time, Cavner wasn't necessarily interested, but the thought stayed with him.

The day after completing his oral exam for his master's degree, Cavner began his coursework at Texas Christian University's Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. There, he obtained his Master of Divinity.

After interning at Texas Christian University for a few years, Cavner moved back to the Ozarks, where he became Missouri State University's campus minister. While Cavner worked on Missouri State's campus, he actually was employed by the United Ministries in Higher Education. He worked in this role for 34 years, often making headlines for hosting progressive faith-based programming.

As an Ozarks native, Cavner said one of his goals with "Ozark Saints," and all his work, is to embrace the roots and moniker of "the hillbilly."

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"I'm very proud to be a hillbilly," Cavner said. "I was blessed by the (hillbilly) culture."

Where can you purchase 'Ozark Saints'?

• Acclaim Press for $21.95

• Amazon for $15.49

• Pagination Bookshop for $26.34

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. She has more than five years of journalism experience covering everything from Ozarks history to Springfield’s LGBTQIA+ community. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Retired Missouri State campus minister releases memoir 'Ozark Saints'