Out of the past: April 11

1996

The patriarch of the Limbaugh family is laid to rest in New Lorimier Cemetery next to his bride, who died almost 19 years before him; for the most part, the funeral service for Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. is of typical United Methodist fanfare, probably the way Limbaugh would have wanted it; the most extraordinary aspects of the service are the cross-section of people who paid their last respects and the "van loads" of flowers sent in remembrance of a man whose legal career spanned more years than most people's lives; Limbaugh, 104, died Monday at his home on Sylvan Lan.

Gasoline prices are up again, about 3 cents a gallon; tight oil supplies following an unusually cold winter and decline in U.S. production mean gasoline prices could increase further as summer begins, an Energy Department forecast says.

1971

Easter Sunday. A community Easter sunrise service is held in the band shell of Capaha Park at 6 a.m., sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Ministerial Alliance; guest speaker is the Rev. Lester Butlor of Bethany Baptist Church.

With temperature in the low 80s and not a cloud in sight, Cape Girardeau residents enjoy one of the most perfect Easter Sundays in recent years; churches are full during the morning, and area restaurants are crowded at the noon hour as many families enjoy dinner out; boys and girls have perfect weather for Easter egg hunts.

1946

Jo Anne Stevenson of Cape Girardeau receives official notice from Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal that her husband, Lt. James L. Stevenson, a naval flier previously listed as missing in action and as a prisoner of war, is now presumed to have died; the action was taken after an exhaustive search failed to develop evidence that he is alive and because his name hasn't appeared on any of the lists or reports of personnel liberated from Japanese prisoner of war camps.

A new Missouri law switching one-fifth of the funds collected within county special road districts to the county, signed yesterday by Gov. Phil Donnelly, will mean that the two special road districts in Cape Girardeau County -- Cape Township and Byrd Township -- will lose about $10,000 annually, and the general county road fund will receive a like amount.

1921

Federal court opens in Cape Girardeau in the morning with Judge C.B. Faris on the bench; its first action was to call the grand jury, which is sworn in and put to work; Sam Pikey of Conran, Missouri, is named foreman of the jury.

Harry W. Packebush, outfielder, has the distinction of being the first outside talent for the Capaha baseball team to report here for training; Packebush, whose home is at Ulm, Arkansas, arrived yesterday and declares he is ready for the opening of the season; a young fellow of good size, Packebush throws and bats left-handed.

-- Sharon K. Sanders