Mayor Rhodes led Cape through period of change

Former Cape Girardeau mayor Francis "Gene" Rhodes led the city during a time of many changes and new developments.

Rhodes, also known as a prominent local businessman and petroleum business veteran, died Tuesday at age 88. Others who also have served as Cape Girardeau's chief executive said Rhodes' goals of engaging the community and growing industry will continue to inspire members of city government for years to come.

The man who served as president of Rhodes Oil Cos. and founded Rhodes 101 Convenience Stores used his business background as his primary platform when he ran for mayor in 1986. He was elected to the position in April that year, along with three new city council members. Reports at the time called it the largest turnover in Cape Girardeau's governing body in two decades. Rhodes served as mayor until 1994.

During Rhodes' time, the Show Me Center opened and a new fire station was constructed. While Rhodes was among the group of people against the use of city money to build a facility on the Southeast Missouri State University campus, he made efforts to point out his support of the project as a whole. Expanding and improving fire protection for residents was an issue Rhodes supported before his time as mayor.

His first mayoral term also saw the launch of a federal flood-control project after Cape Girardeau was hit by a flash flood in 1986, the most costly and damaging in the city's history.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Gene Rhodes, right, tours damaged areas with Gov. John Ashcroft, center, and automobile dealer Joe Coad on May 16, 1986, after severe flash flooding struck the city. (Southeast Missourian)

Perhaps one of the most divisive issues in Rhodes' mayoral career was changing the system of electing members of the council from the at-large method to a ward system. Rhodes frequently voiced his support for the change, citing improved representation for residents across the city. The idea met opposition, particularly from council members who feared it would lead to infighting between the wards.

The proposal was put to a vote in 1992. Voters ultimately approved the measure to amend the city charter allowing each council member to be represented and elected by one of six wards, with the mayor elected at large. The structure is still used in Cape Girardeau.

Rhodes supported the move to ward representation because he believed it would lead to more local involvement in city government. That idea of garnering more local interest and involvement was one that popped up repeatedly in Rhodes' career, as he often expressed support for the use of citizen committees to review and provide input on some of the city's biggest issues of the times.

Current Mayor Harry Rediger said keeping residents involved in government is "something I did pick up on" from Rhodes.

"We do gather a lot of input from citizens," Rediger said. "He was a great advocate of citizen input, as I am. ... That was certainly one of his traits that lasted through the mayors that followed."

Gene Rhodes poses for a photo during a fundraiser in October 2012. (Southeast Missourian)

Former mayor Jay Knudtson remembers Rhodes as a man who represented "the blue-collar guy."

"He was truly a guy who represented the working man," he said.

Knudtson said Rhodes was the mayor when he arrived in Cape Girardeau from Minnesota in 1990. Watching Rhodes and then-council members David Limbaugh, Jim Rust and Al Spradling III -- who succeeded Rhodes as mayor -- inspired his interest in city government, Knudtson said. When he became mayor in 2002, Knudtson said, he reached out to Rhodes, and those meetings and many lunches together "spawned a pretty terrific relationship."

While many accomplishments were achieved during Rhodes' tenure, the city government didn't always get along. It was a time of split leadership, Knudtson recalled, as city leaders championed different paths for Cape Girardeau as it moved forward with new infrastructure, questions of annexation and public works improvements.

But even their differences were to be admired, Knudtson said. He called it "a grassroots city government at work" that managed to be largely respectful despite the arguments and debates. He also recognized he was fortunate to serve the city during a more peaceful time.

At the ribbon-cutting for the Show Me Center on Aug. 20, 1987, were, from left, U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, university regents president Anne Bradshaw, Cape Girardeau Mayor Gene Rhodes, Missouri House Speaker Bob. F. Griffin and Missouri Senate President Pro Tem John E. Scott. (Southeast Missourian)

"Anybody can lead through good times," Knudtson said. "It's those that get things done in times of challenge and times of strife that I have tremendous admiration for."

Knudtson said he also admired Rhodes' ability to serve his community as mayor while continuing to represent his businesses. He understood what it was to be a self-employed small business owner, and Rhodes used that knowledge to push for more entrepreneurial opportunities within the city, Knudtson said. It's another issue that continues to remain at the forefront of Cape Girardeau's focus.

Rediger and Knudtson said there's plenty to learn from the city's former mayors and that Rhodes will certainly be missed. Knudtson said Rhodes' belief in "the splendor of Cape" and the joy he took in the time he served as mayor were among the traits that stood out.

"He loved his community," he said. "While some of his decisions and some of his methods might be challenged ... it can never be challenged about his love of Cape Girardeau. Cape truly lost a great man today."

Rhodes served his country with two stints in the Army -- once in Okinawa in the South Pacific during World War II and later at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco during the Korean War.

Rhodes was married to Edvira Rhodes, who died Dec. 10, 2009. The couple are survived by their six daughters.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Funeral Mass at the church will be at 2 p.m. Friday, followed by burial with full military honors performed at St. Mary's Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

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Cape Girardeau, Mo.