NewsDecember 24, 2021
Some of region's most notable passed in 2021
A globally known entertainer. A seminal figure in the local Jewish community. A longtime high school sports official. Those and more passed in 2021. Ten of the region's notable deaths, in alphabetical order: Cape Girardeau attorney and former president of the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents Donald L. Dickerson, whose vision led to creation of the university's River Campus, died at his home following a lengthy illness...
Southeast Missourian
A globally known entertainer. A seminal figure in the local Jewish community. A longtime high school sports official.
Those and more passed in 2021. Ten of the region's notable deaths, in alphabetical order:
Don Dickerson, May 20
Cape Girardeau attorney and former president of the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents Donald L. Dickerson, whose vision led to creation of the university's River Campus, died at his home following a lengthy illness.
"He died peacefully and had a wonderful spirit right up to the end," his wife, Jo Anne, said. "He practiced law more than 50 years, had an amazing life and accomplished so much, but the thing he was most proud of was his work with the Board of Regents and the River Campus."
He was 89 years old and had been in hospice care for some time, according to his family.
First Missouri State Bank executive vice president Jay Knudtson, who was Cape Girardeau's mayor from 2002 until 2010, credited Dickerson with pushing for the River Campus.
"I'll never forget meeting Don Dickerson early in my term as mayor when he did his version of the Martin Luther King 'I have a dream' speech about the River Campus," said Knudtson, who admitted he was initially skeptical of the plan. "As mayor, I didn't have the vision, but it was singularly his passion, his dream, to turn that otherwise blighted area into the majestic River Campus that it is today. It was his leadership and his passion as Board of Regents president that truly brought it to fruition."
Dickerson, Knudtson said, "had everyone believing it could happen."
Today, Knudtson considers the River Campus to be "on the short list of crown jewels" accomplished during his two terms as Cape Girardeau's mayor.
"The university and the entire community owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Don," he said.
Paul Friga, April 8
Alfred "Paul" Friga of Chaffee, Missouri, is remembered fondly by his friends and family, but he may be remembered most for the impact he made through sports.
Friga, 67, was well known in the Southeast Missouri region for officiating high school and youth sports. He died in a two-vehicle accident west of Delta.
"He is going to be missed," Southeast Missouri Umpires Association president Chris Stanfield said. "Not only from the officiating standpoint, but more so as a friend."
Jeff Graviett, athletic director and head baseball coach at Notre Dame Regional High School, learned of Friga's death from an administrative assistant.
"Boy, it was tough," he said. "I got a phone call from one of our administrative assistants here who's from Oran [Missouri] and let me know about it. That was a very sad, emotional day for me. I mean, when I grew up Paul Friga umpired for me. My first couple years out of high school I actually umpired for his association."
Graviett had a close connection with Friga, looking up to him when transitioning from high school to officiating and coaching his granddaughters in softball.
"He kind of was my mentor, I guess, my first couple of years adjusting from high school to being an official," Graviett said. "Then, as I got into coaching, working with him as an official up here. I coached both his granddaughters here in softball, they went to school here. Just a great family, a very sports-minded family. He was just a great guy all around."
John Paul Heisserer, Aug. 5
Heisserer died at age 64 after a "courageous battle with cancer," "peacefully at home with his family by his side," according to his obituary.
Heisserer had an active trial practice in Cape Girardeau for more than 40 years and played a "vital role in the implementation of the mediation processes in the 32nd Judicial Circuit," his obituary said.
Those who knew him well said he leaves behind a legacy as one of Southeast Missouri's most popular family lawyers and mediators among colleagues and clients for his skills and the way he treated others.
"He was one of the best domestic relations lawyers in Southeast Missouri -- he always went far above what was expected and was always prepared, and just overall a really good guy," said Bill Syler, former judge of the 32nd Circuit Court. "John was the kind of person who always got along with everyone -- he represented his clients as he should, but he also was someone that prided himself, I think, on getting along with the other lawyers. He'd try your socks off in the courtroom, but there was never any funny stuff, just, 'I'm going to do the best job I can for my client.'"
Diane Howard said she met Heisserer at Notre Dame High School in the early 1970s, and the two worked alongside each other as domestic and family lawyers in Southeast Missouri for more than 40 years.
"I will miss working with John. I just worked with him so often, I'm really going to miss him, as I think will be the case with most of the lawyers in this community," she commented. "His passing definitely leaves a void -- a lawyer that we respect and care very much for is gone."
Howard said they were often on opposite sides in the courtroom, and she, along with several other lawyers in Cape Girardeau, enjoyed going up against Heisserer in court because "he really knew his stuff."
"Not only was he a very hard-working lawyer, but I think I was really inspired by his great relationship with his colleagues and others in the profession," she noted. "It's a wonderful thing, at the time of your death, to know that those who worked with you, and even against you will miss you."
Julia Jones, Aug. 9
Julia Jones, the former director of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, died at age 62 of melanoma.
Jones formally retired weeks before her death, after a decadelong tenure and said at the time she was looking forward to "a new adventure" with her husband, Mike -- which she said would include splitting time between her Cape Girardeau hometown and Florida, where she had previously lived and was employed for three decades.
Penny Williams has worked for more than 30 years for Parks and Rec as a recreation division manager and praised her late superior.
"I always teased (Julia) that the Parks and Recreation world changed the day she arrived (here) -- 7/11/2011. [Julia] had impeccable attention to detail that will become more evident at the SportsPlex and will become even more evident as the Capaha Park renovation is completed," she said. "[Julia] has made an everlasting impact in this community [and] took so much pride in landscaping and documenting it on social media with her famous Sunday morning flower parades. She liked to say, 'Fun is our business, but we take it very seriously.'"
Cape Girardeau Mayor Bob Fox said not a lot of people knew Jones was as sick as she was.
"It's just a shock. You've got to admire her for keeping working as if nothing was wrong," Fox said. "[Julia] was a great organizer and leader -- bringing a level of organization no one had ever seen in her department. Some marvelous things have happened and people had such respect for her leadership. She hired great people and transformed those who were already here and that's the mark of a leader."
Read more here and here and here.
Ivan LaGrand, Dec. 1
COVID-19 claimed the life of Capt. Ivan LaGrand, fire inspector with Cape Girardeau Fire Department.
According to a social media post from the department, LaGrand died after a "brief battle" with the virus.
LaGrand had served with the department since 1996.
"His humor and care for his brothers and sisters in public safety will be greatly missed," the post states.
LaGrand also served in a part-time capacity with Bollinger County (Missouri) Sheriff's Office. A post from Sheriff Casey Graham said LaGrand served as a communications officer and reserve deputy.
"He was a significant asset to this office and will be greatly missed by all. Please take the time to keep Deputy LaGrand in your thoughts and prayers, along with his friends and family, as myself and my office mourn his passing," the post states.
Cape Girardeau Mayor Bob Fox noted LaGrand's service to the community.
"I was very sad to hear of the passing of Ivan LaGrand," he said in a statement. "As a longtime employee of our Fire Department, he was well respected and considered public safety his family. I understand he was looking forward to retirement soon, so it is unfortunate that he will miss enjoying that part of his life. He will be missed."
LaGrand was a 1985 graduate of University High and a 1993 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science.
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Read more here and here and here.
Rush Limbaugh III, Feb. 17
Rush Hudson "Rusty" Limbaugh III, 70, a 1969 Cape Girardeau Central graduate and 32-year host of his own internationally known and eponymously named radio program, died because of complications from lung cancer.
His widow, Kathryn Limbaugh, announced his death on his show.
Limbaugh, who was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters' Hall of Fame in 1998, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Donald Trump in 2020.
He was recalled by friends and family as a hero, as street smart, as a savior of AM radio and as generous and thoughtful.
Many political figures have issued statements praising the commentator.
"[Rush] is a legend, he really is," said Trump, after learning of the conservative icon's passing.
"Those people who listen to him every day, it was like a religious experience for a lot of people," the 45th U.S. president added.
Missouri's senior U.S. senator, Roy Blunt, said Limbaugh stayed "grounded in his Missouri roots and Midwest values."
Blunt also made note of the remarkable arc of Limbaugh's life.
"From his first job in high school as a radio personality in Cape Girardeau to the EIB (Excellence in Broadcasting) Network, Rush Limbaugh changed the way Americans talked about issues every day. He reshaped talk radio and became one of the most powerful conservative voices in our country."
Read more here.
Barbara Lohr, June 15
A woman described as "the first lady of Jackson" and who served as the town's first female mayor, Barbara Lohr, died while on a family vacation in Florida.
She was 83 years old.
Lohr served four terms as Jackson's mayor, from 2007 until 2015. Before becoming mayor, she served 11 years on the Jackson Planning and Zoning Commission, chairing the commission for five years, and represented Ward 1 on the Jackson Board of Aldermen from 2002 until 2007.
"She loved Jackson and showed it through her years of service to the community," Mayor Dwain Hahs said. "You'd always see her through the community. She'd be at every Friday night football game rooting on the [Jackson High School] Indians. She also participated in various roles with the St. Louis Iron Mountain Railroad and was very involved with Uptown Jackson and the Jackson History Center, where she served as a docent for many years."
Phil Penzel was an alderman for more than a dozen years and served on the board with Lohr.
"Her dedication to the City of Jackson is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of her," Penzel said. "When she was elected [mayor], she appointed me to serve as mayor pro tem, which basically meant I would handle meetings whenever she was gone, but she had such a strong dedication to her position that she never missed a meeting, so I never had to run one."
Wanda Young, who currently represents Jackson's Ward 1, said her friendship with Lohr predated their service in city government when they were both members of Jackson Noon Optimists.
"I've never met anybody so involved in Jackson, so very committed to the community," Young said. "From little kids up through senior citizens, she cared about everybody."
Read more here and here and here and here.
Sydney Pollack, Jan. 30
Area leaders were effusive in their praise for Cape Girardeau native Sydney Pollack, a retired businessman and community leader, who died in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 93.
"Sydney and I went to Cape Central High together, and we'd been corresponding by mail a lot lately," said retired U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. "Years ago, Syd convinced his father, who owned Pollack Hide and Fur Company, to branch out into pre-fab steel and the family did extremely well as steel wholesalers."
In 1949, the Pollack family's move into steel and scrap metal was a timely and savvy business decision in post-World War II America.
"A delightful guy, he and (wife) Marilyn are good people," Limbaugh added.
"Sydney was a great friend to my parents and to our family," said former Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder. "[Pollack's] entire personality was characterized by humility. Sydney was a scholar, widely read and had a huge library. His was a cherished friendship of mine. We've lost a truly great man."
Pollack was president of the now-closed B'Nai Israel synagogue at 126 S. Main St. in downtown Cape Girardeau. He also headed the Jewish Federation of Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri.
Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas released a statement, which reads, in part:
"We were saddened when we heard the news of Mr. Pollack's passing. He served on the University's Board of Regents for six years, from 1979 to 1985, and was the Board president during his last four years of service. In addition to his leadership and service, Mr. Pollack was also a member of the President's Council, the highest level of recognition for University donors. He has a lasting legacy at Southeast because of his generous donation of land to support the building campaign in 1990 for what is now known as Robert A. Dempster Hall home to the Donald L. Harrison College of Business and Computing."
Read more here and here and here.
Rhoda Reeves, July 7
Rhoda Reeves, who died at the age of 85, is known to many in the Cape Girardeau area for the successful T-shirt printing and promotional products store Horizon Screen Printing, but she is also remembered by those who knew her for her devotion to family, as well as being an active member of Cape Girardeau County's Republican Party.
Jay Knudtson -- home loan banker at First Missouri State Bank, former member of the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents and former Cape Girardeau mayor -- said he got to know Rhoda and her husband, Glenn, well over the years.
"Rhoda was a class 'stand-by-her-man' kind of gal, while also forging a wonderful professional career for herself," Knudtson said. "A wonderful wife, mom, grandma and career lady."
Knudtson also referred to Reeves as "one of Cape's leading ladies in the Republican Party," and said, "she was a tremendous business lady and showed true class."
In addition to founding Horizon Screen Printing, Reeves was a speech pathologist at Parkview State School, a member of Red Hat Society, garden club and a Girl Scout leader, and attended La Croix United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau.
Reeves started Horizon Screen Printing in 1981 in Cape Girardeau as a hobby and part-time business in 1983. For Reeves, screen printing was just another hobby in a long list of arts and crafts, and the business was never intended to become a full-time operation, or a full-blown family business, according to a 1997 article by the Southeast Missourian. Working out of her basement, it took her about two weeks to fill her first 200 shirt orders for the local Girl Scouts troop. The business later moved into three floors at 430 Broadway, a total of more than 15,000 square feet, and was able to produce more than 10,000 decorated shirts per day. The business is now located at 758 Commercial St. in Cape Girardeau.
Rhoda's husband, Glenn, joined the business in 1986 after retiring from Sears, and served as vice president. Their son, Dru, was the production manager for the business and daughter, Sara, worked in the office at the time. Glenn preceded her in death Nov. 6, 2019.
Monsignor Richard Rolwing, Jan. 11
Monsignor Richard C. Rolwing, 93, a retired priest of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese and resident of Cape Girardeau, passed away Jan. 11.
Rolwing was born May 8, 1927, in Charleston, Missouri, and grew up in that farming community. It was there he developed his love of music and learned to play the organ and piano.
He was ordained a Catholic priest Feb. 28, 1953, by Cardinal Joseph Ritter for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He was incardinated to the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau in 1957 and went on to serve parishes throughout the southern diocese. He was pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau from 1987 until he retired in 2003.
Some of his many other ministries were Diocesan Consultor, state chaplain for Missouri State Council of Knights of Columbus and Vicar General for the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. He was named monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1990.
Even in retirement, Rolwing continued to serve the church. Knowing the difficulties priests face in planning vacations, he offered his services to the bishop of Anchorage, Alaska, and spent 10 weeks in Homer, giving members of that parish the luxury of a full-time, resident priest for the first time.
In retirement he also served the parishes in Sikeston and Charleston. He later moved back to Cape Girardeau and was residing here at the time of his death.
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