Midwest hotel pioneer James Drury, 78, died in March in Kelso, MO. He was long-time president of MidAmerica Hotels Corp., a family business that included Burger King restaurant franchises as well as the mid-market Drury Hotels chain.

Drury, along with his brothers and father, opened a Holiday Inn in Cape Girardeau, MO in 1961 and opened their first Drury several years later. His son, Daniel, is now president of the company.