Maurice & Willie Weinberg

Boosters, Former Board of Trustees Member

There are 19 community colleges in Kansas, but only eight football teams.  Many schools have dropped their football programs over the years, but Coffeyville has excelled in the sport for 80 years.  One of the reasons for the school's phenomenal success on the gridiron has been the dedication and support of longtime board member Maurice Weinberg.

Until he retired from the board of trustees in June, Maurice had been a member for 36 years.  He previously was a member of the school board for nine years when CCC was a part of the Unified School District in Coffeyville.  The state legislature separated the College from the Unified School District in 1965, and two years later when the first board of trustees members were elected, Maurice was the only school board member elected to the CCC board, and was its first chairman.

Maurice, who was born on May 29, 1919, attended the College back when it consisted of only the high school building at 11th and Willow.  As a board member, he has played a major role in expanding the campus to cover three blocks on 11th Street.  He has always strongly promoted the construction of new facilities to provide a better educational environment for students.  In fact, he proudly points out that the community has never defeated a bond proposal for the College.

Over the years there have been several proposals, particularly in the state legislature, to combine the Coffeyville and Independence community colleges.  Maurice has adamantly opposed such proposals and successfully led the fight against them.

Maurice has always recognized the importance of athletics and other activities in attracting students and providing a good, well-rounded college experience.  He believes community colleges who have dropped their football programs have hurt themselves badly.

Although he says, "The College is my life," Maurice also has been a highly successful husband, father, businessman and civic leader.  He owned a western wear store in Coffeyville for many years and was involved in many civic organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, Coffeyville Regional Medical Center Endowment Committee, Coffeyville Country Club and Lions Club.

He was a founding member of the Kansas Association of Community Colleges, and received a CCC Leadership award in 1973 and a CCC Lifetime Achievement award in 2001.  Maurice said he believes his wife, Willie, is the one who should receive all of the awards because she is the backbone of their marriage.

Their son, Jeff, is the assistant chancellor at the University of Kansas, and son, Thomas, is a clinical psychologist in Hawaii.

Both Maurice and Willie are now deceased.