Former Cape Girardeau mayor has died

Former Cape Girardeau mayor and longtime oil business veteran F.E. "Gene" Rhodes died Tuesday. He was 88 years old.

Rhodes was president and owner of the Rhodes Companies and founder of Rhodes 101 Convenience Stores. It was that business background he touted when he made his first run for mayor in 1986. He was elected in April of that year and served as mayor until 1994.

During his time as mayor, the Show Me Center opened, a new fire station was constructed, and a ward system of electing council members was established. A federal flood-control project also was launched after Cape Girardeau was hit by a flash flood in 1986, the most costly and damaging in the city's history.

Rhodes also christened the now iconic clock at the intersection of Main and Themis streets when it was first added to downtown in June 1986.

He also garnered many accomplishments in the business world. Rhodes was a member of the Gulf Oil Corporation Advisory Council; served as president and chairman of the board of directors of the Missouri Oil Jobbers Association; director of the Missouri Oil Council Board; and a member of the Bank of Missouri board of directors.

Locally, he was a founding member of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association's board of directors, which joined forces with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce in 1994. Rhodes then served on the chamber's board of directors. He also was past chairman of the Cape Area Industrial Recruitment Association, now known as Cape Girardeau Area Magnet.

Rhodes was married to Edvira Rhodes, who died Dec. 10, 2009, and the couple had six daughters.

srinehart@semissourian.com

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