Monday August 3 is the 50th anniversary of the horrific deadly plane crash that killed popular northwest Missouri congressman Jerry Litton, his wife and two children and the pilot and pilot’s son.
A Litton Legacy of Dreams event is underway on this Sunday afternoon in Chillicothe and there’s a packed crowd. Congressman Litton had just won Missouri’s Democratic U.S. Senate nomination over former Governor Warren Hearnes and Congressman James Symington in August 1976 by getting 45 percent of the vote. The congressman’s plane crashed while taking off from the Chillicothe airport, killing Congressman Litton, his wife and two children and pilot Paul Rupp and Paul’s son.
Jerry Litton was born in Lock Springs and lived in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing. He graduated from Chillicothe high school, worked at KCHI Radio in Chillicothe and joined the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and was elected president of the Missouri FFA in 1955. Jerry Litton had many ties to Columbia as well, earning a degree in agricultural journalism in 1961. He earned that degree while serving as president of Missouri FFA and being vice president of Mizzou’s Student Association.
He ran for Congress in northwest Missouri in 1972, winning his race and highlighting many issues that are still issues today: the importance of a strong cattle industry, food insecurity and hunger, the cost of food, droughts, floods, rural transportation and the importance of strong rural communities. Congressman Litton won re-election in 1974, earning 79 percent of the vote.
His television show called “Dialogue with Litton” aired across Missouri and brought big-name guests to rural Chillicothe. Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia was one of them.
Sunday’s event in Chillicothe is taking place at the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center in Chillicothe. Members of both political parties are attending. The event goes until 5 pm.