C.W. RUSHING

C.W. "Woody" Rushing, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Dec. 5, 1998, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Oct. 22, 1913, at Meridian, Miss., son of Odus Arthur and Nena Mae Pratt Rushing. He and Evelyn L. Bullock were married Oct. 8, 1941, at Sikeston.

Rushing worked as a laborer, deckhand and boat operator on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers during the 1930s. In 1939, he began working for Erlbacher Brothers of Cape Girardeau as a riverboat pilot and captain.

He also worked for Streett Towing Co. of St. Louis and as the general manager for the Missouri Barge Line Co. He eventually became president of the Missouri Barge Line Co.

He was also president of Missouri Dry Dock and Repair, North American Barge Inc., Missouri-Illinois Barge Line Co. Missouri Boats Supply Co., Erlbacher Boat Construction Co., Cape Towing Corp. and Missouri Boat Construction.

In January 1979, he began the Rushing Marine Corp. with his son.

He was a founding member of the American Waterways Operators Inc., receiving a distinguished service award. He served on the Mississippi Valley Association, the Coast Guard and Industry Panel, Gov. Kit Bond's port authority task force and the Council Executive Board for the Boy Scouts of America.

He served from 1974 to 1988 as the chairman of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority and as a board member for Mercantile Bank from 1968 to 1985.

He was a member of the Cape Downtown Rotary Club. He received the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. Award as Rotarian of the Year on Oct. 19, 1998.

He was a member of First Baptist Church of Cape Girardeau.

Survivors include his wife, his son, Michael W. Rushing of Jackson, and two grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two brothers and a sister.

Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel from 4:30 to 8:30 today.

Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. Dr. John Owen will officiate, with burial at Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.