LONG-TIME CAPE LAWYER RUSH LIMBAUGH JR. DIES

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Longtime Cape Girardeau attorney, civic leader and aviation pioneer Rush H. Limbaugh Jr. died here Saturday after a lengthy illness. He was 72.

Limbaugh, a member of a prominent Cape Girardeau family of attorneys, was a former Republican county chairman who earned a reputation as an exceptional public speaker on Americanism and patriotic topics. A veteran of World War II as an Army Air Corps pilot, he was also noted for 20 years service on the Cape Girardeau Airport Board and for working to pass the bond issue that built the airport's 6,500-foot runway.

After returning to Cape Girardeau at the end of World War II, Limbaugh formed a law partnership with his father, Rush Limbaugh Sr., on Jan. 1, 1946. In July of 1984, Limbaugh and his son, David, joined with Michael Payne to form the law firm of Limbaugh and Payne.

Limbaugh's other son, Rush Limbaugh III, lives in New York City and is the host of a nationally syndicated radio talk show.

In 1978 Limbaugh received the prestigious Medal of Honor from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. He was the first Southeast Missouri resident and only the 37th person in the nation to receive the medal.

The Medal of Honor was presented in recognition of "longstanding leadership, patriotism, trustworthiness, and service to his community."

In particular, Limbaugh was cited for his efforts from 1946-66 as secretary of the airport board and for the role he played in the growth and expansion of the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport. He spearheaded passage of two bond issues for the airport and was instrumental in its early development.

Limbaugh was also cited for his work for more than 15 years as coordinator of semi-annual ceremonies for the naturalization program in the Southeastern District of the United States District Court.

Friends may call today from 4-7 p.m. at the Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel. Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Centenary United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Neil Stein officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park, with American Legion grave-side rites.

Limbaugh was a past commander of the Louis K. Juden American Legion Post 63.

He was born Feb. 26, 1918, in Cape Girardeau, son of Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. and the late Bee Seabaugh Limbaugh. On May 21, 1949, he married Mildred Armstrong in Kennett.

Besides his wife and father, also surviving are two sons, Rush H. Limbaugh III, of New York, N.Y., David S. Limbaugh of Cape Girardeau; two brothers, Manley O. Limbaugh of Chester, Ill., and United States District Court Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh of St. Louis. He was preceded in death by a brother and sister.

In 1968 at ceremonies dedicating the new runway, Limbaugh was honored for his work in transforming the airport from Harris Field, operated by the Army during World War II, to the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport.

The city acquired Harris Field in 1946 as its airport. City Manager J. Ronald Fischer, who as a member of the Jaycees in the mid-1960s worked with Limbaugh to pass an airport bond issue, said Saturday that for many years, "Rush was the backbone of the airport. He was instrumental in its first 20 years of development."

John T. Seesing, who worked with Limbaugh at the airport, pointed out that during Limbaugh's tenure as secretary, the airport board was responsible for all operations of the facility.

"As secretary, he did a tremendous amount of work for the airport because the board actually ran the airport," noted Seesing.

As a member of Centenary Church, Limbaugh served as a board member, choir director, Sunday School teacher, and for many years served as a lay member to the annual Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church.

He was active in the Rotary Club, a member of the VFW, and was a member of the American Legion's drum and bugle corps.

Limbaugh graduated from Central High School in 1934, from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1938, and from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law in 1941. He was a champion debater in high school and college.

While serving with the Army Air Force in World War II, Limbaugh was a fighter pilot in the China-Burma-India theater and also was a flight instructor. He was discharged with the rank of major. He was chosen to fly members of the Chinese Army to their home base at the end of the war, and the squadron he trained was being prepared to attack Japan when the war ended.