Former State Representative, KWTO Radio Host Chuck Wooten Dead at 95

Chuck Wooten, a World War II veteran from Nixa who went on to serve five terms in the Missouri House of Representatives, died Tuesday morning at the age of 95.

Wooten was instrumental in establishing the Missouri Veterans Cemetery near Evans Road and Highway 65 in Springfield, which had its first burial back in 2000.

He also served as a sidekick to former Southwest Missouri Congressman Billy Long on KWTO’s Morning Line.

“There will never be an equal: veteran, public servant and cheerleader for the Ozarks,” Long said in a tweet Tuesday.

Wooten, a Republican, was appointed to the Missouri Veterans Commission in 2018 by then Governor Jay Nixon.

Wooten served in World War II in Japan, and later indicated the turning point in the war was when President Harry S. Truman dropped the bomb, saying it “saved a lot of American lives.”

It's with a heavy heart to inform you that my former @933KWTO radio sidekick.buddy, pal & good friend Chuck Wooten passed away this morning. They'll never be an equal, #Veteran, public servant & cheerleader for the Ozarks. There would be no national cemetery off 65 but for Chuck

— Billy Long (@auctnr1) June 20, 2023

Springfield Mayor Ken McClure said in a news release:

 “What people will remember most of about Chuck was his many contributions to his community – a lifetime of public service,” said Mayor McClure.

“The Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield would not be a reality without Chuck Wooten. He was a wonderful, caring person committed to public service.”