HUNDREDS OF E-MAILS SENT FOLLOWING LIMBAUGH STORY

Friends of Millie Limbaugh said she never knew a stranger, and it must be true. Even people who had never met her were saddened by her death and wanted to offer sympathies to the family.

Mildred Armstrong Limbaugh died Thursday, March 2, 2000, at her home. She was 74.

More than 200 flower arrangements filled Centenary United Methodist Church where Limbaugh had been a member for more than 50 years. About 400 people attended the funeral service Sunday afternoon.

After writing about Millie Limbaugh's death, I received 315 e-mail notes from people wishing that I forward their messages and offerings of condolences to the Limbaughs. And the notes continue to arrive.

People sent simple, one-line notes of sympathy; others wrote letters about their own experiences of losing a relative or sent e-greetings. Most requested information about where to send memorial contributions or flowers.

The Limbaugh family has requested that any contributions be made to the Memorial Fund at Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 N. Ellis St., Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701.

The Rev. Dr. Clayton Smith, pastor of the church, said the memorial fund helps the church with its plans for development and building renovations. There has not been one designated area that will receive the funds, but they likely will be used for building renovations and similar projects.

The church already has received about 40 or 50 contributions. Rush Limbaugh III donated money to the memorial fund when his father died in 1990, Smith said.

"In giving you receive," he said. "We all feel helpless at the time of a loss."

By donating to the church, the gifts will "bless the generations that follow," Smith said.

Limbaugh was known by many only by way of her two sons: radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh III and syndicated columnist David Limbaugh. From those conversations, people grew to admire and respect her.

I read through every e-mail note I received, trying to answer any questions I could.

Jim and Marian Rogers wrote that as fans of Rush Limbaugh's radio show, they had heard Millie Limbaugh speak several times or seen her appearances on his television show. "It was evident that she was a remarkable lady. With your article, our impression is confirmed," they wrote.

"I'm sure she will be missed in your city, and I'm equally sure the city is richer because of her life," the note said. The Rogers said they felt compelled to write after seeing the article on the Internet.

The newspaper article about Limbaugh's death was posted on the online version of the Southeast Missourian (www.semissourian.com) and then linked to the Drudge Report's Web site.

When I checked my e-mail Sunday night, I was amazed at the number of messages. I thought something must be wrong with the computer because there were so many of them.

It amazed me that people cared enough to send a note or pass on a word to the family of a person they had never met. Many admitted not having any method of contacting Rush or David Limbaugh but were such fans of their work that they felt it necessary to write.

Mary Sledz of Houston, Texas, wrote: "I am so sorry to hear of Mrs. Limbaugh's death. I love to listen to her son Rush on the radio -- now I know where he got his wonderful sense of humor. Please tell Rush about this e-mail. Though I have never met him, I feel like he is one of my best friends, and because of that it hurts me to know of the pain that I'm certain he is feeling right now."

Carlton and Marjorie Wilder of St. Augustine, Fla., wrote to add "our small 'So Sorry' to the outpouring the Cape will receive."

Denny Smith of Indianapolis, Ind., said, "After reading that piece I had a good sense of what she was as a person, and I felt sort of sorry that I never had the chance to meet her."

I never met Millie Limbaugh and only knew her through stories in the Southeast Missourian over the years. From what I've learned, I missed an opportunity to meet a woman of remarkable qualities.