In the ongoing series of author talks organized by the Ozarks Studies Institute, an initiative of the Missouri State University Libraries, Les Mace, local author of his family memoirs, will give a talk and book signing on Thursday, November 9, 2023 beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the Ozarks Room on the Third Level of Duane G. Meyer Library.

This is a public event, free and open to all. Light refreshments will be served. 

Leslie Jasper Mace was born on May 30, 1935, in Pacific Grove, California, during the depths of the Great Depression. Both of his parents were from small towns in the northern Missouri Ozarks, between Jefferson City and Lebanon. In 1945 the Mace family moved back to Springfield, Missouri. 

In the fall of 1954, when Virginia Sue Dunaway and Les were students at SMS, one evening at the Baptist Student Center Les noticed Virginia. To get her attention, he threw a waded up piece of paper at her. That led to a first date of Cokes at Fisher’s Hi-Boy. They were married on May 26, 1956 and have been married ever since. They took a honeymoon trip down Route 66 to California. 

Les is a Golden Bear at MSU, meaning that he graduated at least 50 years ago.