Honoring Joe Aden

Thirty-two years is a respectable amount of time to devote to any endeavor whose aim is to improve your community and provide the services that residents expect.

That's how long Joe Aden served East Cape Girardeau in Illinois, and well-wishers came out recently to honor him at the Pearce Community Building.

In addition to his municipal service as a trustee and as mayor, Aden is also remembered as the principal at Shawnee High School who had an influence on so many students. After retiring as principal, Aden devoted 10 years to the Illinois Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program.

Throughout his long career of public service, Aden tried to foster improvements that would benefit everyone. Time after time at the reception for Aden, hearty congratulations were accompanied by stories of how Aden had helped with one situation or another.

Aden summed up his life of public service simply: "I just love this small community. I am dedicated to Bud Pearce, who got the incorporation started for East Cape, and I just wanted to keep up his good work. It was a priority to me to benefit the people of our town."

Well said.