JOHN WESCOAT, WHO HELPED SECURE STATE PARK, DIES AT 88

Former Cape Girardeau County assessor, John Linn Wescoat, 88, 3120 Independence, died Tuesday, April 5, 1994, at St. Francis Medical Center.

He was born Sept. 1, 1905, in Oran, son of Dr. William Henry and Laura Haw Wescoat. He was a graduate of Oran High School and Southeast Missouri State University.

Wescoat and Jessie Basler were married March 3, 1934, in Calhoun, Ky.

Wescoat was high school principal and coach at De Soto and other schools. He had been a salesman with Mayer Rose Packing Co., worked on Cottonbelt Railroad, served with the American Red Cross during World War II and the Korean War, and served as county assessor from 1948-61.

He also had farming interests and owned commercial property.

He was disaster chairman with the Red Cross during the flood of 1947.

Wescoat served on the committee that secured Trail of Tears Park, and secured the option on the land for that park and for Lake Girardeau. The marina at Trail of Tears was named in honor of Wescoat in March 1972.

He was instrumental in bringing Gordonville Bank to Cape Girardeau, and served as the first president of what is now Cape Mercantile Bank.

Wescoat served as chairman of camping and activities committee of Boy Scouts of America. He helped raise money for a swimming pool at what is now Camp Lewallen. He also secured land for the Boy Scout camp at Trail of Tears Park.

He served on Southeast Missouri Hospital board 18 years, during which time he secured options on the purchase of homes for expansion of the hospital. He helped raise $60,000 to refurnish the original hospital wing, and donated the tract of land on which the Oncology Center is located.

Wescoat served on the Cape Girardeau Park Board, and worked to get a park on the north and south ends of town.

He was a member of Lions Club many years, Centenary United Methodist Church, served as chairman of the board of trustees and was a member of the board. He has served on the boards of Girl Scouts, Crippled Children, Cape County Cancer Society, and is a past chairman of Cape County Republican Central Committee.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Ann Ritter of Cape Girardeau; three grandchildren,and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother and three sisters.

A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Friday at Centenary Church, with the Rev. Neil Stein officiating. The family will receive friends at the church after the service.

Burial will be in Memorial Park.