VINSON LUCKMAN RUESELER

Vinson Luckman Rueseler, 77, of Cape Girardeau died suddenly Friday, March 20, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 20, 1921, son of Albert P. and Lucy Luckman Rueseler. He and Catherine (Kitty) Leah McGowan were married March 3, 1945, in Augusta, Ga.

Mr. Rueseler attended Trinity Lutheran School, Central High School, Southeast Missouri State University and Chillicothe Business College. While in high school and college, Mr. Rueseler earned many honors as a star football player. He served 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Army during World War II and 16 1/2 years in the Missouri National Guard as company commander 140th Infantry, retiring with the rank of captain.

After a 24-year career with Rueseler Motor Company, he became a career agent with Aetna Life and Annuity Company, where Mr.. Rueseler achieved Life Member of the Million Dollar Round Table.

Many of his civic duties consisted of the Rotary Club, of which he was elected president in 1955. He was also a Rotary Fellow. He served on the boards of the Salvation Army, Southeast Missouri Hospital and the Boy Scouts of America. While a member of the Junior Jaycees, he was awarded the Outstanding Service Award of the City of Cape Girardeau and State of Missouri. Mr. Rueseler was a founder of the Cape Girardeau Civic Center.

In 1969, Mr. Rueseler became president of the Chamber of Commerce. He was also the recipient of the Breakfast Optimist Outstanding Community Service Award in 1959. Prior to the discovery of the Salk Vaccine, Mr. Rueseler was appointed president of the Polio Foundation.

Mr. Rueseler was very active in the First Presbyterian Church of Cape Girardeau, where he served as a Deacon and Elder, taught Sunday school for over 20 years and also supplied the pulpit in many local churches. He was elected Moderator of the Potosi Presbytery and was the Commissioner of the General Assembly.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, John Rueseler of Houston, Texas, and Rob Rueseler of Cape Girardeau, Mo.; two daughters, Vicki Overstreet of Jackson, Miss., and Catherine Vinson Lowes of Jackson, Mo.; two sisters, Mary Rueseler Foubert of Everett, Wash., and Ruth Rueseler Knote of Cape Girardeau; seven grandchildren, Anna Leah and William Overstreet of Jackson, Miss., Olivia Catherine Wells of Clinton, Ill., Amanda Maria and Andrew David Lowes of Jackson, Mo., Mesha and Eric Rueseler of Cape Girardeau, Mo.; and two great-grandchildren, August and Michael Wells of Clinton, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Albert C. Rueseler Jr.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Brendan Dempsey officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

The family of Vinson Rueseler requests memorial donations be made to Teen Challenge or the First Presbyterian Church of Cape Girardeau.