Carr Family

A Legacy of Service: The Carr Family’s Commitment to Education and Community
The values that built a business continue to shape educational opportunities at Ozarks Tech

When Jenny Carr speaks about her family’s commitment to education, she’s drawing from a well of values that runs deep through generations. As president of L&W Industries and member of the Ozarks Tech Foundation board, Carr represents the latest chapter in a remarkable family story that began with her grandmother, Vesta Meents Carr, nearly a century ago.

Vesta’s Vision
Born in Lebanon, Missouri, in 1909, Vesta Meents Carr embodied the pioneering spirit that would become the cornerstone of her family’s legacy. When she married George T. Carr in 1929, she was stepping into a partnership that would extend far beyond marriage; it would become the foundation of a manufacturing family built on hard work, community support, and unwavering dedication to others.

After George completed his technical training at Ford Trade School in Detroit, Michigan, the young couple returned to Lebanon to take over a struggling business called The Lebanon Machine Shop. But Vesta wasn’t content to simply stand on the sidelines. In an era when women rarely took active roles in manufacturing businesses, she rolled up her sleeves and became an integral part of the operation.

“In the early years of the company, Vesta performed many tasks for the business, including delivery and pickup of Heat Treat parts in St. Louis, or bringing in meals so George could work longer hours,” her obituary notes. But family stories reveal even more about her dedication. She also handled the company’s financial responsibilities by reviewing bills and signing checks, and during particularly challenging times—including the Great Depression—she prepared scratch-made meals for employees who were struggling.

When customers visited from across the United States, it was Vesta who impressed them with her hospitality, preparing elaborate home-cooked meals that left lasting impressions on business partners. Her commitment went beyond business necessity; it reflected a genuine care for people that would become a hallmark of the Carr family values.

Building on Strong Foundations
In 1942, George and Vesta established Detroit Tool and Engineering Company, which would eventually grow into The Durham Company and its affiliates, including L&W Industries and GEC Durham Industries. Throughout this growth, Vesta remained actively involved, serving the business while also dedicating herself to community service, including years on the board of trustees at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri.

The company that Vesta helped build alongside her husband has flourished under the leadership of the George E. Carr and Doug Russell families, spanning operations from Lebanon to Springfield. Today, it continues to be guided by the same principles that Vesta embodied: hard work, community investment, and genuine care for others.

Continuing the Legacy
Jenny Carr’s leadership of L&W Industries represents a direct continuation of her grandmother’s values. The family’s substantial support of Ozarks Tech, including major contributions to the Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing and the Michael L. Parson Student Union, reflects the same commitment to community and education that Vesta embodied throughout her life.

Now, as a member of the Ozarks Tech Foundation board, Jenny established a scholarship in honor of her grandmother that will specifically support women entering the manufacturing industry. This scholarship aims to remove financial barriers that prevent women from pursuing manufacturing careers, creating pathways for female students to access the opportunities that Vesta herself embraced when she stepped into the manufacturing world nearly a century ago.

“Durham founder George E. Carr is passionate about education,” Jenny Carr noted in a recent statement. “We recognize the importance of educating and training the workforce of the future, and we’re proud to make this investment in the Plaster Manufacturing Center.”

Their track record tells a powerful story of sustained commitment. Over the past several years, The Durham Company, L&W Industries, and Carr family members have contributed more than $600,000 to various Ozarks Tech initiatives, including:

• Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing
• Michael L. Parson Student Union
• Consistent annual support for golf tournament scholarships and student emergency funds
• Sponsorship of student programs including SkillsUSA
• The Vesta Meents Carr Memorial Scholarship, supporting women in manufacturing

Values in Action
What makes the Carr family’s giving particularly meaningful is how it reflects the values Vesta Meents Carr instilled nearly a century ago. Just as she brought meals to struggling employees and went the extra mile to support her community, today’s Carr family continues to see beyond immediate business interests to the broader needs of their community.

Their support of Ozarks Tech’s manufacturing programs directly connects to their own industry expertise, ensuring that students receive training that’s relevant to real-world applications. The establishment of the Vesta Meents Carr Scholarship creates a lasting tribute to a woman who broke barriers in manufacturing while opening doors for future generations of women to follow in her footsteps.

The scholarship’s focus on removing financial barriers for women entering manufacturing is particularly fitting, given Vesta’s own pioneering role in an industry traditionally dominated by men. By making education more accessible, the scholarship helps ensure that financial constraints won’t prevent talented women from pursuing careers in fields where they can make significant contributions.