Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport Archives

October 23, 2014

In the Same Zip Code

I left West Palm Beach on July 23. Friday, October 22, was the day that these two people from my past showed at at the Cape Airport.

Jane Rudert McMahan, left, is one of Wife Lila’s old high school buddies. They flew down from St. Louis on Cape Air to attend this week’s monthly Class of ’66 luncheon.

Wife Lila is in town to celebrate the wind-down of Mother’s Birthday Season, see relatives, go to the luncheon and, maybe, to see me.

I am pretty sure this is the longest we have been apart since I was going to school in Athens, Ohio, and she hadn’t yet made the escape from Cape. It’s nice to be back in the same Zip Code with her.

September 14, 2013July 12, 2024

The buses were labeled Meyer Bus Lines – Perryville, Mo., and the negative sleeve said Head Start at the Airport – 7/14/67, so I’m going to take a wild guess that some kids from Perryville came to The Big City to see the airport.

The two boys on the fence on the left have name tags that say Steven Oehlert and Randy Phillips. They belonged to Mrs. Barks.

All tied up

Here’s one way to keep track of your charges.

Photo gallery of airport visit

Since I’m low on real info, I’ll just have to let the photos tell the story of the trip to the airport. Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the sides to move through the gallery.

May 30, 2013

Paul Kaempfer, 1922 – 2002

I could have sworn this photo of Paul Kaempfer ran in The Missourian some time around November 19, 1966, but I couldn’t find it in the Google archives. In fact, except for a couple of short briefs, I couldn’t find much on Paul.

Paul Kaempfer died Nov. 17, 2002

The Missourian DID carry his obituary on November 18, 2002.

Paul E. Kaempfer, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

He was born June 19, 1922, in Cape Girardeau, son of the late Fred A. and Ruby Barks Kaempfer. He and Betty Waddill were married Dec. 4, 1944, in Kirksville, Mo.

World War II vet

He was a World War II veteran with the U.S. Air Force.

He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and St. Mark’s Lodge No. 93 AF & AM in Cape Girardeau.

Worked at Southeast Hospital 30 years

After working 30 years as plant engineer at Southeast Missouri Hospital, he retired in 1986.

He was also a member of Cape Council No. 20, Cape Girardeau Commandary No. 55, St.Mark’s Chapter No. 167 OES, Cape Shrine Club/ Moolah Temple AAONMS, and a past member of Cape Pilot Club.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Larry E. Kaempfer of Cape Girardeau and Jim F. Kaempfer of Gordonville; a daughter, Nancy C. Strauser of Cape Girardeau; a stepsister, Lois Flannery of Jackson; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Garage with graffiti

I see some “Larry Kaempfer” and “L.E.K” graffiti scrawled on the wall of the garage, so I’m assuming that’s Paul’s son. You can click on the photos to make them larger.

April 18, 2013May 9, 2016

Alice Godwin at Cape Airport

I shot Alice Godwin at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport on April 12, 1967, but I can’t find the story that I know ran. I looked at every Missourian over a three-week period and couldn’t find a single word about her or why she was putting a plaque in a showcase.

For what it’s worth, this is a nice portrait of a woman in a cockpit. I’m sure I didn’t use fill flash, so I must have gotten lucky with an overcast sky that kept it from being too contrasty.

Not-bad plaque picture

If you have to shoot a cliche picture, you might as well do it well. This is better than average. I just wish I could read what the plaque says.

Like Terry Eiler, my Magazine and Newspaper Photography instructor wrote across one of my college assignments, “Congratulations. You are now a better than average hack.”

First thought was Powder Puff Derby

My first thought was maybe this might have been related to when the Powder Puff Derby came to Cape in 1966, but I couldn’t confirm it.

Here are some aviation stories from over the years.

[Editor’s note: I originally identified this woman as Alice Higgins, but David Seesing set me straight: “The lady in the photo is Alice Godwin wife of John Godwin. John and J.T. Seesing owned Cape Central Airways. Alice and John competed and won numerous aviation competitions. I have since updated the post.]

Tag: Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport