The family and friends of Jefferson R-VII alumnus Kevin Ogden are continuing his legacy of helping others through an annual golf tournament held in his memory.
Following the third annual Kevin Ogden Memorial Golf Tournament, the Jefferson R-VII Blue Jay Foundation received a donation of $2,526 from proceeds raised during this year’s event. Over the tournament’s first three years, the Ogden family and supporters have donated approximately $8,600 to the Blue Jay Foundation while also supporting other organizations in the community.
Kevin attended Jefferson R-VII from kindergarten through eighth grade before graduating from Festus High School in 1976. He unexpectedly passed away in August 2022, leaving behind his wife of 38 years, Robin; daughters Kelsey Davies and Nicole Ogden; son-in-law Jake Davies; and grandchildren Cade and Maci Davies, who currently attend Jefferson R-VII, and Bobby Pope.
In August 2024, Kevin’s family and friends hosted the first Kevin Ogden Memorial Golf Tournament as a way to gather at one of his favorite places, celebrate his life and give back to the community.
The inaugural tournament raised $7,658, with proceeds divided between the Jefferson R-VII Blue Jay Foundation and Joachim Golf Course. The second tournament, held in August 2025, raised $6,743 for the Blue Jay Foundation, Ozark Food Pantry and Joachim Golf Course.
The third annual tournament was held August 15, 2026, and raised $7,579. Proceeds were divided among the Jefferson R-VII Blue Jay Foundation, Brenden’s Friday Backpacks and Joachim Golf Course.
According to Kevin’s daughter, Kelsey Davies, each organization supported by the tournament was selected with her father in mind.
Kevin was an avid golfer and a member of Joachim Golf Course, where he previously served as Board President and dedicated considerable time to helping the course. Supporting the golf course and its continued improvements was a natural way for the family to honor a place that meant so much to him.
His connection to Jefferson R-VII made the Blue Jay Foundation another meaningful choice.
“Being an R-7 alum and having grandkids in the district made the Blue Jay Foundation an easy choice,” Davies said. “Our family supports the district and the mission of the Blue Jay Foundation.”
Over the past two years, the tournament has also included a third beneficiary focused on addressing food needs within the community. The Ozark Food Pantry was selected in 2025, followed by Brenden’s Friday Backpacks in 2026.
“My dad was the type of person to help anyone,” Davies said. “The Ozark Food Pantry and Brenden’s Friday Backpacks both help hundreds of people who need food. They were both easy choices to donate to as well and aligned with our mission of helping others.”
For Kevin’s family, the tournament has become about more than golf. It provides an opportunity to remember someone they loved while carrying forward the values that were important to him.
“The tournament is a fun day to gather in memory of my dad at one of his favorite places, and to give back to our community,” Davies said. “We couldn’t do it without the players, the volunteers, the donations and the sponsors.”
The family would like to recognize the businesses, organizations and individuals who have supported the tournament during one or more of its first three years:
The Randy Morgan Mortgage Team with Guild Mortgage, Thomas Industrial Coatings, SMCI, H.W. Herrell Distributing Co., RE/MAX Best Choice, Motto Mortgage Tried & True, Good News Community Church, P’sghetti’s, Midwest Tree Service, Gary Schmidt – State Farm, Darin Basler – Raymond James, Sharon Hasty, Realtor – RE/MAX Best Choice, Post 42 Golf, The Zen Zoo Fitness Studio, Anytime Plumbing, Desert Luna Photo, Jared Freese – Gatewood Wealth Solutions, The Laury Family and KFC – Festus.
Through three years of tournaments, Kevin’s family, friends, golfers, volunteers and sponsors have turned his memory into an opportunity to support the places and organizations that reflect the things he valued most.
The Jefferson R-VII School District and Blue Jay Foundation extend their sincere appreciation to the Ogden family and everyone involved with the Kevin Ogden Memorial Golf Tournament for their continued generosity and support of Jefferson R-VII students and the surrounding community.
Those interested in participating in a future Kevin Ogden Memorial Golf Tournament or becoming a sponsor can contact Kelsey Davies at kjcdavies@yahoo.com.
