CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Former longtime oil and convenience store veteran and Cape Girardeau, Mo., mayor F.E. "Gene" Rhodes died on December 15. He was 88 years old.
Rhodes was president and owner of the Rhodes Cos. and founder of Rhodes 101 Convenience Stores.
Cape Girardeau, Mo.-based PAJCO Inc. operates 25 Rhodes 101 Stop and 2 Mercato di Rodi convenience stores, and one travel center in southeastern Missouri.
The history of Rhodes 101 stores stretches back to 1963, when F.E. "Gene" Rhodes founded an oil jobbership with Gulf Oil Corp. Originally, the company's main business consisted of supplying fuel to farmers and independent service-station owners throughout the area, though it eventually came to operate a small chain of self-service gas stations under the Rhodes Pump-Ur-Own banner. In 1989, the company reimaged five of its stores to the Rhodes 101 Stop concept, signifying a shift from a traditional service station to a convenience store "with 101 reasons to stop."
It was this business background that Rhodes touted when he made his first run for mayor of Cape Girardeau in 1986, reported The Southeast Missourian. He was elected in April of that year and served as mayor until 1994.
Rhodes was a member of the Gulf Oil Corp. Advisory Council; served as president and chairman of the board of directors of the Missouri Oil Jobbers Association; director of the Missouri Oil Council Board; and a member of the Bank of Missouri board of directors. He was also a founding member of the Regional Commerce & Growth Association's board, which joined forces with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce in 1994. Rhodes then served on the chamber's board. He also was past chairman of the Cape Area Industrial Recruitment Association, now known as Cape Girardeau Area Magnet.
Rhodes was married to Edvira Rhodes, who died in 2009, and the couple had six daughters.
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CSP sends condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.