Former congressman Bill Burlison dies; remembered as tireless campaigner, 'consummate politician'

Former Southeast Missouri Democratic congressman Bill Burlison died Sunday at his home in Wardell, Missouri, in Pemiscot County at the age of 88.

A former Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney, Burlison served six terms in the then-10th Congressional District of Southeast Missouri, from 1969 to 1981.

The 10th District essentially covered the area now in the 8th District.

Burlison was first elected in 1968 even though he failed to carry Cape Girardeau County, his home county, in the Democratic primary, according to Southeast Missourian archives.

He lost his bid for a seventh term in 1980 to Republican Bill Emerson in what many political observers viewed as an upset.

“It was a surprise,” recalled former Democratic state Rep. Jerry Ford.

The longtime Cape Girardeau resident said fellow Democrats had encouraged him to challenge Burlison in the Democratic primary in 1980, but he declined.

“I told them I didn’t think I could beat him,” remembered Ford.

Burlison served in Congress at a time when congressmen wielded power in terms of patronage jobs. Southeast Missouri was heavily Democratic at the time, Ford said.

“The election of Emerson helped change the political dynamics of the Bootheel,” Ford said. Today, Southeast Missouri is heavily Republican in its politics at the congressional, state and national levels.

A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Burlison was a tireless campaigner at a time when candidates didn’t rely on media advertising to reach voters.

“He was the consummate politician of his time,” Ford said. Burlison was known for knocking on doors of registered voters and following up with letters and postcards as reminders of his visit.

But Burlison was more than a politician. He was an accomplished marbles player. He regularly won the Congressional Marbles Championship.

The Southeast Missourian reported in August 1977 on a marbles competition between the congressman and a 12-year-old boy who had emerged as champion among the newspaper’s carriers. Burlison won.

During his years in Congress, Burlison served on the agriculture, interior, District of Columbia, appropriations and intelligence committees.

He unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the Constitution to provide for the direct popular election of the president and vice president of the United States.

Burlison earned seven academic degrees, including an education degree from Southeast Missouri State University.

From 1960 to 1962, he was an assistant attorney general of Missouri.

He served as prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County for three terms before being elected to Congress.

After leaving Congress, he practiced law in Maryland and the District of Columbia. He was elected to the Anne Arundel County Council in Maryland, serving from 1998 to 2006.

After moving back to Missouri, he ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 2008, 2010 and 2014.

Survivors include his wife, Michal Sue “Mickey” Prosser, two sons, a daughter, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m., with a Masonic Rite service at 7 p.m., Wednesday at Morgan Funeral Home in Advance, Missouri.

The funeral service will be held at noon Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Pleasant Grove Cemetery near Bell City, Missouri, with full military honors.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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