HOWARD TOOKE RECEIVES LIMBAUGH AWARD; FORMER MAYOR OF CITY JOINS GROWING LIST OF RECIPIENTS

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- "Mayor" Howard C. Tooke joined a small, but growing elite list here Friday night.

The Cape Girardeau businessman and former mayor was named recipient of the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. award.

The award was presented by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, during the chamber's annual dinner/dance held at the Show Me Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

Also honored at the chamber event was Neal Edwards, who received the "Go-Getter" award, presented by the chamber for a member's outstanding work with the organization's membership committee. Edwards, who was not present to accept the award, was a winner for the second straight year. He recruited 30 new members for the chamber.

New and outgoing directors were recognized at the meeting by Larry Payne, outgoing chairman of the board, who later presented the gavel to new chairman, Harry Rust.

"I've seen more `positives' than `negatives' during my year as chairman," said Payne during his brief remarks. "Cape Girardeau is a good place to live, work, raise a family and have a business, and the directors and members of the Chamber of Commerce are largely responsible for this."

"The chamber board represents talents from many fields," said Rust. "We have a great team here, and we'll be representing the wishes of the entire chamber membership. We're looking forward to another big year at the chamber."

David Limbaugh announced this year's Limbaugh Award winner, and called on his grandfather, Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. to make the award presentation to Tooke.

Tooke was the third recipient of the award, established three years ago by the chamber to recognize an area business person who has expended exceptional effort on behalf of the community for an extended period of time.

Limbaugh, an attorney for 75 years here, and namesake of the award, was first recipient of it 1989. Last year, longtime radio and television station owner Oscar Hirsch received the award.

"You've made an old man happy," said Tooke, after receiving the award. "To be included in the company of a man like Rush H. Limbaugh is a great honor."

Tooke, who observed his birthday only a few days earlier this month Feb. 1 started work at M.E. Leming Lumber Co. Inc. in 1936, and still remains active in its operation.

He became involved in city politics in 1968 when he was appointed to fill an unexpired term on the Cape Girardeau City Council. He was elected to the council the following year, and remained a fixture in city government until his retirement in 1986. He served 15 of those years as mayor.

The M.E. Leming Lumber Co., located off Aquamsi Street near the Mississippi River, was founded in the early 1890s by M.E. Leming, who came to Cape Girardeau from Lawrenceburg, Ind., where he had been involved in a sawmill operation.

Tooke, who became president of Leming Lumber in 1957, is the second Leming Lumber Co. executive to be involved in city politics. Leming served as mayor here from 1909 to 1911, and it was during his term in office that the volunteer fire department became a paid faire department.

Tooke was involved in many changes during his tenure in city politics. It was during his terms that the city passed a city sales tax in 1970 to provide city government with a valuable source of revenue. Until that point, the city depended largely on property taxes for revenues.

A new library, two fire stations, a new police station, two new parks, the Cape Central/city swimming pool, and the relocation of city hall to its present address were among the many projects during Tooke's administration as mayor.

Tooke also had his share of controversial issues, including the city's role in the joint city/university project which resulted in the construction of the Show Me Center.

Tooke, who has continued to serve as a good will ambassador for Cape Girardeau, and promotes the city at every opportunity.

He was active in the Missouri Municipal League, and served on its board of directors. He was also involved in the National League of Cities.