James “Jim” Travis Closson ’56

In the summer of 2021, James “Jim” Travis Closson ’56, who served as a faculty member and Graceland’s first full-time registrar from 1965-1987, passed away at the age of 84. Growing up in Lamoni with his parents, Eugene and Julia, Graceland was always home to Jim.  

He served many roles at the University, including teaching psychology, serving as dean and director of admissions, overseeing the Graceland Ramblers, and helming the Alumni Association. During his 22 years working on the Lamoni campus as the registrar, he advanced the data processing and computer services at the school, far past many other small colleges at the time.  

In town, he had a nursery and landscaping business for 10 years. He was active in the Lamoni Community by being a member of the LCLA, Chamber of Commerce, City Council, County Selective Service Board, RLDS (now Community of Christ) Church, Scout Committee, and attending school and college events. He left Graceland in 1987 when he started his own technology consulting business, Paragon Business Group, in the Kansas City area, retiring at the end of 2013.