Stephen Limbaugh Sr. to be honored with Southeast Missourian Spirit of America Award

Seven decades of service to upholding the rule of law earned Stephen Limbaugh Sr. the Southeast Missourian's 2021 Spirit of America Award.

Limbaugh is a military veteran and later this year will mark 70 years as a lawyer, serving 25 of those as a federal judge. At 93, he's still active, showing up to the law firm bearing his name, dressed as his father told him to many years ago.

"He said, 'Look, if you are going to be a lawyer, you have to at least look like one. So, you are going to wear a shirt and a tie and a coat every day, and you're going to work on Saturday," Limbaugh said, noting a strong work ethic has served him well in his career.

Stephen Limbaugh Sr.

Nominated for the award by Robbie Guard of Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club, Limbaugh has done important work, Guard said.

"His story of service to our city, county, state and federal court system is well documented, and the upholding of American law is one of, if not the, most important facet of American culture."

Beyond his work, Limbaugh's jovial nature is obvious, Guard added.

"Abraham Lincoln once said, 'Folks are usually about as happy as they make up their minds to be,' and if anyone has had two minutes with Judge Limbaugh, they would know that he made up his mind long ago to live a happy, meaningful life," he said.

The Southeast Missourian will donate $1,000 to the Lions Club in honor of Limbaugh, who will receive the award at the City of Cape Girardeau's Great American Fourth of July event Sunday.

Stephen Limbaugh Sr. stands beside the sign that hung in front of the family law firm when he joined the firm in 1951.Rick Fahr

Education

It's impossible to know what would have happened had Limbaugh been born even a few months earlier, but by virtue of his age, he was unable to enlist in the U.S. Navy until after he graduated from high school in May 1945. Before he could finish initial training and be assigned to a ship, World War II ended. He never deployed in combat. Limbaugh said he served 18 months of stateside duty, most of that at Naval Air Station New Orleans. He left the military in 1946.

"I'm glad I did it. Everybody was in the military then. Guys in my high school class went into all branches of the service," he noted. "It was just an accident of birth that I didn't go overseas."

After separating from the Navy, Limbaugh returned home to put to use his GI Bill. He entered what is now-Southeast Missouri State University and amassed 90 credit hours before entering law school at University of Missouri. SEMO's dean of students at the time, Forrest Rose, helped Limbaugh earn an undergraduate degree using coursework from his first year in law school, and so it was that in 1951, he had completed an undergraduate degree and earned his law degree.

He joined his father in practice.

Over the years, he served as Cape Girardeau city attorney and Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney. He is a lifetime member of Centenary United Methodist Church.

Presidential appointment

In 1983, an appointment to the federal judiciary from President Ronald Reagan would change Limbaugh's career arc. He said such appointments are multifaceted.

"It's political. If they say it's not, they're being a little facetious about it," he noted. "A lot of people think they got one of those jobs because they were probably the best lawyer around, but if you had a few politics behind you, that helped."

Limbaugh had earned his political stripes working on campaigns for Sen. Jack Danforth, who pushed Limbaugh for the bench.

For the most part, Limbaugh worked out of St. Louis for his 25 years as a federal judge, but he split his time between there and Cape Girardeau.

"I would spend three weeks working in St. Louis and then one week working here," he explained.

Of the many high-profile cases over which he presided, the St. Louis school desegregation case was the most wrenching. All tolled, he spent eight years on the case.

"It was a mess. It was a very difficult assignment," he recalled.

In 2008, Limbaugh's son, Stephen Limbaugh Jr., was appointed as a federal judge, and father and son couldn't serve on the same court. So, the elder Limbaugh stepped down and returned to private practice, first for nine years in St. Louis and afterward in Cape Girardeau.

"It sure is nice being back here," he said. "You live here, and you go to school here, and you work here, and you ought to give something back.

Limbaugh pointed to building up the federal court system in Southeast Missouri and partnering with local jurisdictions as successes during his tenure. He said he worked hard.

"I think judges need to be there working, and I always tried to do that," he contended.

U.S. District Judge (Retired) Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. speaks at the dedication ceremony for the Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. Federal Courthouse in Cape Girardeau. Southeast Missourian file

Service

"I think in addition to providing legal services for hire, lawyers have the obligation to provide pro bono service. And I think lawyers have the obligation to provide government service," Limbaugh once said. "I like to see lawyers in the legislature, on municipal boards and providing community services through agencies. Lawyers need to be doing all of this, and they should be doing all of this. They owe a duty to the community to pay back."

The judge served in many leadership capacities with various organizations. At one time or another, he served as chairman or president of several Cape Girardeau County entities, including United Way, American Red Cross, public library board, American Cancer Society, Community Concert Association, Noon Lions Club and the civic center board.

He served as president of the Missouri Bar Association and St. Louis Bar Foundation, and was named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in the field of corporate litigation in Missouri.

A longtime supporter of Boy Scouts of America, Limbaugh attained the rank of Eagle Scout and served in several posts with the organization locally and regionally.

Among the many honors bestowed upon him are the Distinguished Service Award from the American Legion Department of Missouri and a professionalism award from the 8th Judiciary Circuit.

Limbaugh and his late wife, Anne, whom he met while in law school, have three sons, Stephen Jr, Jim and Andy.

Other 2021 Spirit of America nominees

Fred Burgard observes a class in September 2019 at Prodigy Leadership Academy.Lucas Presson

Gwen Maloney poses in May for a portrait at Samaritan Regional Health Center in Cape Girardeau, the only free health clinic in Southeast Missouri. Samaritan operates two days a week with an all-volunteer staff.MONICA OBRADOVIC

Executive director Melissa Stickel speaks to a guest in her new office during the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri open house event June 4 in Cape Girardeau.Sarah Yenesel

Terri Tomlin accepts the 2015 R.A. Fulenwider Meritorious Community Service Award from Dwight Johnson at the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce annual banquet.Southeast Missourian file

Carolyn Watkins

• Fred Burgard: Nominated by Jayme Reese, Prodigy Leadership Academy and Prodigy Leadership Academy PTO. A former college instructor and pastor, Burgard co-founded Shadow Rest Ministry, designed as a calming retreat site, and eventually granted the nearly 40-acre site to Prodigy Leadership Academy. Lindsay Lawrence, representing the parent teacher organization, pointed to Burgard's spectrum of service: "His service to others is seen from the youngest of children at Options for Women, to those who seek comfort in their final days as he serves patients in hospice." Brittany Brown of the school added, "Mr. Fred gives of his time and love to our community in so many ways. He goes above and beyond to lend a helping hand to those in need." Reese, Burgard's daughter, described him in a spiritual way: "Fred attends many 'churches.' He is the church, not necessarily a building. His heart is so big. He donates his time and talent and treasure on a daily basis."
• Gwen Maloney: Nominated by PC Medical Centers. For a decade, Maloney has served as chief executive officer of Samaritan Regional Health Clinic in Cape Girardeau. The clinic provides various medical services, focusing on disease prevention and continuity of care, to those who may otherwise go without care. She also served as president of Jamaican Christian Medical Mission, organizing mission trips to Jamaica where the medical teams provided medical treatments ranging from health assessments to minor surgical procedures to dental and vision treatments. In nominating Maloney, Terri Jestus said, "Gwen Maloney opened Samaritan Regional Health Clinic many years ago and tirelessly helps many patients in our area [who] would normally go without any health care. These are no-insurance, poverty-level people in our community [who] are sick and in some cases have life-threatening conditions."
• Melissa Stickel: Nominated by Christian Freeman. Stickel serves as executive director of Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri, which recently completed its renovation of the former Cape Girardeau Police Department building at 40 S. Sprigg St. The organization provides a variety of services, ranging from workforce training to help for unsheltered people. Freeman's nomination said Stickel exudes a servant's heart: "I believe that she carries the spirit of kindness, respect for all and spirit of helping others. She is highly involved in her community and has built a place for all in need to come and get help. I believe this is the true spirit of America."
• Terri Gohn Tomlin: Nominated by Cape Girardeau County Historical Society. Tomlin has served in several organizations, including as president of the Cape Girardeau County Historical Society and Jackson School Board. She has worked with Old McKendree Executive Board, Daughters of the American Revolution and Jackson's Historic Preservation Commission, to name a few. In nominating Tomlin, Carla Jordan, director of the county historical society said, "Her calm, informed leadership style lends toward productive interactions, strong board relationships and successful outcomes -- such as the establishment of the Cape Girardeau County History Center and the new Cape Girardeau County Research Annex. ... Terri has spent her life in service to others with humility and dedication."
• Carolyn and John Watkins: Nominated by LaKrisha Moore. The Watkinses founded Watkins Wildlife Rehab in 1969 in Sedgewickville, Missouri. Since then, they have nursed back to health a range of wild animals, from eagles and hawks to coyotes and even a black bear cub. Previous reporting in the Southeast Missourian noted the Watkinses don't get paid for their services, though state wildlife officials bring them animals to nurse back to health. In nominating the couple, Moore said simply, "They are such lovely and selfless people."