Obituaries from March 2002

LAKESIDE, Calif. - Ann Gosche Forbes, 88, formerly of New Hamburg, Mo., died Jan. 18, 2002, at her home. Born in 1914, daughter of the late Louis and Mary Schwartz Gosche, she was first married to Muriel Wright. She later married Darry Forbes who preceded her in death on July 26, 1999...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Blanchard Funeral Chapel for Ida Lou Wimberley, 64, who died Feb. 27, 2002, will be: Don Bellah, Roger Baker, Calvin Arnold, Jim Barnes, Bob Barnes, James Bixler and Darrell Roe. Burial will follow in the New Morley Cemetery at Morley...

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. - Emma Lou Cobb, 77, formerly of Chaffee, Mo., died Feb. 27, 2002, at her home. Born Oct. 21, 1924, in Poplar Bluff, she was the daughter of the late Alonzo S. and Garnett Still Perdue. On May 6, 1940, at Oran, Mo., she married Gilbert Cobb who preceded her in death...

NORTH LILBOURN - Jannie B. Anderson, 81, died Feb. 28, 2002, at her home. Born May 30, 1920, in Macon, Ga., daughter of the late Dudley and Leavy Reed Brown Sr., she lived in Missouri for more than 65 years and was a member of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Lilbourn...

DEXTER - Russell Keith Jackson, 67, died Feb. 28, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 17, 1934, in Kennett, son of the late John F. and Grace Davis Jackson, he had been employed by Purolator Filter Company in Dexter. He was a U.S. Army veteran and of the Pentecostal belief...

BERNIE - Fred R. Brown, 90, died March 1, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie.

CHAFFEE - Dessie White, 78, died March 1, 2002, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

WYATT - Vera Jeff Brown, 90, died at 7:53 p.m. Feb. 28, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born July 3, 1911, in Tupelo, Miss., daughter of the late William and Leona Jones Houston, she lived in Mississippi County most of her life. She was a member of the Wyatt Baptist Church and retired from the Brown Shoe Company in 1975...

CHARLESTON - Pallbearers at services scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at McMikle Funeral Home for Robert Paul Johnson, 53, who died Feb. 28, 2002, will be: Danny Gramlisch, Billy Woods, Jeff Groves, Nicholas Figliolo, Darren Johnson, Jody Johnson and Shawn Burk...

THAYER - Juanita A. Cathey, 78, died Feb. 27, 2002, at her home. Born Sept. 11, 1923, in Tiptonville, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late John Ellis and Carrie Brindley Aaron. Her husband, Ray Cathey, survives of the home. Other survivors include: five daughters, Nancy Riley of Bloomfield, Carolyn Ann Witt of Sikeston, Linda White of Thayer, Dorothy Sue Miller of Pella, Iowa, and Kari Beeson of Mammoth Spring, Ark.; one son, John Cathey of West Plains; one brother, James Aaron of Anderson, Ind.; and 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.. ...

SIKESTON - Phyllis Colley, 80, died Feb. 27, 2002, at her home. Born March 2, 1921, in Sanford, Maine, daughter of the late Harold Woodman and Iris Mace Treadwell, she was a member of the First Baptist Church. A registered nurse, she was the last administrator of the Sikeston General Hospital. She worked for Dr. A.P. Sargent and Dr. John Sargent for 27 years before retiring...

DEXTER - Oscar "Buddy" Denson, 83, died Feb. 28, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Thursday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Lela Lawson Layton, 77, who died Feb. 24, 2002, were: Steve McCabe, Russell Scott Lawson, Russell Lee Gilliland, Chris Lawson, Junior Lawson and Todd Soble.

BENTON - Patrick Conrad, 62, died Feb. 28, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Benton.

DEXTER - O.D. "Buddy" Denson, 83, died Feb. 28, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born July 27, 1918, in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., son of Nebraska Dunaway Denson of Kennett and the late Robert Andrew Denson, he was a member of the Dexter Church of Christ and former owner of a lumber company in Parma...

SAVANNAH, Tenn. - Clyde Goff, 89, formerly of Portageville, Mo., died March 1, 2002, at his home. Born Jan. 1, 1913, in Booneville, he was the son of the late Olie and Luda Roger Goff. He is survived by one sister, Lottie Meeks of Savannah; and several nieces and nephews...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Friday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Leora E. Oliver, 85, who died Feb. 26, 2002, were: Don Lafferty, Donald Bell, Terry Meeker, Rodger Chamberlain, Eric Walker and James Reaves.

BENTON - Patrick Kendall "Pat" Conrad, 62, died at 3:45 p.m. Feb. 28, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 13, 1939, in Sedgewickville, son of the late Lauren "Vernon" and Naomi Alpha Conrad, he was an assembly lineman for Lee Rowan. He was a member of Unity Baptist church and sang and played drums in country western bands...

BENTON - Hess Porter, 88, died at 8:55 p.m. Feb. 28, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 25, 1913, at Morley, son of the late W.C. and Floy Elizabeth Randol Porter Sr., he served as treasurer for Scott County from 1942 until he retired in 1982 and as mayor of Benton for many years. He attended the Benton United Methodist Church...

DURANGO, Colo. - Larry McGowen, 67, formerly of Dexter, Mo., died March 2, 2002, at the Mercy Medical Center in Durango. Arrangements are incomplete at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

NEW MADRID - Herbert Brown, 2-month-old son of Harvey Brown and Karen Jones of New Madrid, died Feb. 28, 2002, at St. Louis Children's Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Dec. 14, 2001, in Sikeston, and is also survived by: three brothers, Harvey DeWayne Brown Jr., Harvey DeShawn Brown and Johnathan Brown of New Madrid; one sister, Kiara Brown of New Madrid; his maternal grandmother, Cora Green of New Madrid; and his paternal grandparents Herbert and Maxine Brown of Portageville...

BERTRAND - Virginia Tanner, 82, formerly of Sikeston, died at 11:25 a.m. March 1, 2002, at the Bertrand Retirement Center. Born April 19, 1919, in Sikeston, daughter of the late Harrison William and Lila N. Holder Darter, she worked in the food service department for Sikeston Public Schools for 30 years before retiring. She was also a volunteer "grandmother" for first and second grade students at Southeast Elementary School and member of Tanner Street Church of God in Sikeston...

GRANITE CITY, Ill. _ James Randy Black, 76, died Friday at 11 a.m. March 1, 2002, at the residence of his daughter, Paula Cross, in Charleston, Mo. Born Aug. 8, 1925, in Bear Springs, Tenn., to the late Homer and Edna Watts Black, he had lived in Granite City most of his life. He was employed with Laclede Steel Co. in Alton, Ill., until he retired, was a World War II U.S. Army veteran and was of the Baptist belief...

CHAFFEE - Dessie White, 78, died at 3 a.m. March 1, 2002, at her home. Born Jan. 26, 1924, in Clarksville, Ark., daughter of the late Marion and Isandria Gilliam Jones, she was a member of the General Baptist Church in Chaffee. On June 21, 1941, she married William "Ed" White who survives of the home...

BERNIE - Fred R. Brown, 90, died March 1, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Aug. 26, 1911, in Dexter, son of the late Charles B. and Carrie Blankenship Brown, he was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bernie. A 50-year member of the Bernie Masonic Lodge, he was also a Shriner and member of the St. Louis Valley Scottish Rite...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Mildred "Louise" Friese, 70, died at 3:15 a.m. March 2, 2002, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born March 7, 1931, at Ancell, daughter of the late Homer Charles Davis and Ida Adeline Kern, she worked as a food service supervisor for Southeast Missouri Hospital, bookkeeper for PeeWee Erlbacher and a receptionist for Universal Physique...

DEXTER - Beryl Blunt, 72, died March 3, 2002, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center. Born Jan. 23, 1930, at Dexter, son of the late Homer and Vern Canady Williams, she was a former payroll clerk with Elder Manufacturing in Dexter. On June 11, 1948, in Dexter, she married Lorane Blunt, who survives of the home in Dexter...

CHAFFEE - Andrew John Enderle, 88, died at 6:40 p.m. March 1, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born Sept. 9, 1913, son of the late Peter and Katie Gosche Enderle, he was a retired self-employed farmer. A member of the St. Lawrence Catholic Church at New Hamburg, he was a member of the St. Lawrence Men's Club and the Knights of Columbus Council 1111 of Cape Girardeau...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Herman McIntyre, 83, died at 3:58 a.m. March 3, 2002, at the Jackson Manor in Jackson. Born June 12, 1918, at Chaffee, son of the late Marvin Franklin McIntyre and Della Mae McNeal McIntyre, he worked as a watchman for Lapierre Handle Factory in Jackson until his retirement in 1983. Also he worked for Missouri Dry Dock and various sawmills and attended the Word of Faith Fellowship...

BERTRAND - Pallbearers at services conducted at 10 a.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Virginia Tanner, 82, who died March 1, 2002, were: Bill Kasting, Chuck Kasting, Hurshel Tanner, Cory McNew, Fred Dockins and Gerald Rogers.

CHARLESTON - Sister Helen Rolwing, O.S.U., 81, died at 6 a.m. March 4, 2002, at the Charleston Manor. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home.

KELSO - Thelma Sledge Ward Moore, 85, died March 4, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

EAST PRAIRIE - Mary E. Denton, 84, died at 7:10 p.m. March 3, 2002, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. - John Larry McGowan, 67, formerly of Dexter, Mo., died March 2, 2002, at the New Mercy Medical Center in Durango. Born Dec. 21, 1934, at Rolla, son of Lillie Swanson McGowan of Buffalo, Mo., and the late John Leonard McGowan, he was a member of the First Baptist Church in Pagosa Springs and former member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter. He retired as a district sales manager for Shelter Insurance in Southeast Missouri...

SCOTT CITY - Margaret Francis Cope, 60, died at 7 a.m. March 4, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 30, 1941, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of M. Madeline Bader of Zalma and the late Alvin Ray Stoffregen, she was a member of the Church of Christ in Scott City...

ADVANCE - Claudine M. Lorch, 81, died March 3, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born June 4, 1920, in Advance, daughter of the late Oscar and Nelle Cawthon Tippett, she was a 1937 graduate of Advance High School and taught at Swan Pond and Hickory Ridge rural schools. She was employed by the Bank of Advance for 35 years, retiring as senior vice president and was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Advance...

BENTON - Brian Woodrow Rickman, 25, died March 4, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie.

SIKESTON - Walter Kearbey, 91, died March 4, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home.

KELSO - Thelma Ward Moore, 85, died at 6:40 a.m. March 4, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born March 26, 1916, in Randles, daughter of the late William A. and Hattie Paralee Harmon Sledge, she worked in the skiving department for the Florsheim Shoe Company. She was a member of the Fairview General Baptist Church in Arbor...

EAST PRAIRIE - Mary E. Denton, 84, died at 7:10 p.m. March 3, 2002, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Born April 8, 1917, in Columbus, Ky., daughter of the late Carl Boswell and Gertrude Hite Hall, she lived in East Prairie most of her life, where she was a member of the First Baptist Church...

BLUE SPRINGS - Amney May Riley Franks, 69, died March 4, 2002, at he home. Born July 30, 1932, in Greenville, Miss., daughter of the late D.B. and Amney Haynes Riley, she graduated in 1950 from Kewanee High School and attended the University of Missouri-Columbia and Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. She was an office manager for a real estate firm and a member of the United Methodist Church...

ST. LOUIS - David Lee McSwain, 54, died March 4, 2002, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Born Jan. 13, 1948, in Cape Girardeau, son of the late James Lee and Mary Magdalen Burger McSwain, he was a computer programmer for Ralston Purina, Peabody Coal, Brown Shoe Company and Enterprise Rent-A-Car in St. ...

JACKSON - Eureda May Hendershott, 52, died March 3, 2002, at her home. Born Nov. 19, 1949, in Sikeston, daughter of the late Warren and Eureda Robinett Powers, she was a consultant for ICON. On Sept. 15, 1969, in Sikeston, she married Marshall Hendershott who preceded her in death on May 16, 2001...

STE. GENEVIEVE - Dannie E. Clark, 54, died March 2, 2002, at Ste. Genevieve Memorial Hospital. Born Sept. 28, 1947, son of the late Edmond and Fannie Groves Clark, he was assistant superintendent of Ste. Genevieve School District and the former A+ coordinator and high school principal for the district. He was a member of the Rotary Club and Elks Lodge 2674 in Ste. Genevieve...

CHARLESTON - Sister Helen Rolwing, Orders of Sisters of Ursuline (OSU), 81, died at 6 a.m. March 4, 2002, at the Charleston Manor. Born Feb. 10, 1921, in Charleston, daughter of the late Otto J. and Ethel Newcum Rolwing, she entered the novitiate of the Ursuline Sisters in 1939 and pronounced her first vows in 1942. ...

BENTON - Brian W. Rickman, 25, died March 4, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 11, 1976, in Dexter, son of Peggy Darlene Williams of Benton and Charles Edward Rickman of Forrest City, Ark., he had been employed as a welder for Wheeler Trailers in Morley. He was of the Church of God belief...

SCOTT CITY - Margaret Francis Cope, 60, died at 7 a.m. March 4, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 30, 1941, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of M. Madeline Bader of Zalma and the late Alvin Ray Stoffregen, she was a member of the Church of Christ in Scott City...

SCOTT CITY - Gilbert J. LeClere, 55, died March 5, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

NEW MADRID - Hazel Bell, 84, died March 3, 2002, at Beverly Healthcare in New Madrid. Born Sept. 26, 1917, near Blytheville, Ark., daughter of the late Albert and Rosie Griggs Thomas, she attended Harrison High School in Blytheville and was a 4-H Club leader and member of the Extension Club. She was also a member of the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Churches in LaForge and New Madrid, where she was pianist, Sunday school teacher and youth leader...

SIKESTON - Walter Kearbey, 91, died March 4, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born March 29, 1910, in Caraway County, Ark., son of the late Sam and Rosemary Ray Kearbey, he attended the First Church of the Nazarene. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and retired as a self-employed automotive mechanic...

SIKESTON - William Summers, 85, died at 12:01 a.m. March 6, 2002, at the Monticello House in Jackson. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

BLOOMFIELD - Unice Crenshaw died March 5, 2002. Arrangements are pending at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home, where visitation is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. today and services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday. Burial will follow in the Dexter Cemetery...

SIKESTON - Robert "Buster" Yarber, 82, died March 4, 2002, at his home. Born Feb. 10, 1920, in Oxford, Miss., son of the late Robert and Lottie Green Yarber, he lived in Iowa before returning to Missouri and was an Apostolic minister. He was first married to Arebelle Yarber...

JACKSON - William Lowell Summers, 85, formerly of Bell City, died at 12:01 a.m. March 6, 2002, at the Monticello House. Born July 10, 1916, in Bell City, son of the late William Oliver and Emma Winkleman Summers, he served with the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II. He had been a barber and was an assembly line worker for General Tire Company in Detroit, Mich. A 50-year member of Lakeville Lodge 489 at Bell City, he was a 32nd degree Mason...

SIKESTON - Walter Kearbey, 91, died March 4, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born March 29, 1910, in Caraway County, Ark., son of the late Sam and Rosemary Ray Kearbey, he attended the First Church of the Nazarene. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and retired as a self-employed automotive mechanic...

JACKSON - Dorothy D. Whitener, 86, died at 5:30 p.m. March 5, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 30, 1915, in Advance, daughter of the late David W. and Dora A. Elfrank Dysinger, she was a member of the New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson...

SIKESTON - George T. Campbell Jr., 63, died March 6, 2002, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete at Blanchard Funeral Chapel.

EAST PRAIRIE - Gene Ripperdan, 65, died March 6, 2002, at the Sikeston Health Care Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

ESSEX - Sarah "Peg" Parker, 80, died March 6, 2002, at her home. Born Dec. 19, 1921, in Parma, daughter of the late Robert and Cossie Ellis Sanders, she moved to Essex in 1954 and was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Bernie. On April 29, 1937, she married Fonnie Roscoe Parker who preceded her in death on Dec. 20, 1991...

SCOTT CITY - Gilbert Joseph LeClere, 55, died at 7:45 a.m. March 5, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born May 5, 1946, in St. Louis, son of the late Russell E. and Iona Gertrude Doza LeClere, he was a truck driver for Danny Gilder and the SEMO Box Company and was a Scott City police officer. He served with the U.S. Marine Corps in the Vietnam War...

SIKESTON - Anita Diane Jacobs, 29, died March 5, 2002, at her home. Born June 13, 1972, in Dexter, daughter of Leon Cox of Parma and the late Delores Nelson Moore, she attended Parma and New Madrid schools. A former resident of Gary, Ind., and Parma, she was a member of Pilgrim's Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Canalou...

PITTSBURGH, Mo. - Gladys Irene Denton, 75, died March 5, 2002, at her home. Born Feb. 18, 1927, in Collinwood, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Jesse Lucinda Jane Freeman Griggs. On March 16, 1945, in Benton, she married James D. Denton who survives of the home...

BLOOMFIELD - Vernon Robert Cooper, 87, died March 7, 2002, at the Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center in Bloomfield. Born Aug. 21, 1914, at Zadock, son of the late Charlie and Victoria Pope Cooper, he was a retired construction worker and livestock farmer. He was a member of the Oak Ridge General Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon for more than 60 years...

SIKESTON - George Thadeus Campbell Jr., 63, died at 4:24 p.m. March 6, 2002, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Born June 5, 1938, in Harviell, son of the late George Thadeus and Carrie Mae Grider Campbell Sr., he was raised in Poplar Bluff and lived in St. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Arvella P. Steimle, 89, died March 2, 2002, at the Lutheran Home. Born Nov. 2, 1912, in Kelso, daughter of the late John and Bertha Bles Dumey, she was a cook for St. Mary's Elementary School for more than 20 years. She was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral, St. Ann's Sodality and the Pinochle Club for 40 years...

MARSTON - Ruby Ellen Curtis Ray, 92, died March 7, 2002, in Caruthersville. Born Oct. 12, 1909, in Tallapoosa, daughter of the late Rufus Andrew and Adeline Miller Smith, she was a cook for a school before retiring and was a member of the Pentecostal Church of Marston...

PARMA - Cynthia G. Collier, 40, died March 6, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born July 4, 1961, in Kennett, daughter of the late Grady Edward and Sybil Estell Nunnery Collier, she lived in the Bernie and Parma communities most of her life. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bernie...

DEXTER - Sessel Hutchcraft, 74, died March 7, 2002, at the John J. Pershing Veterans Administration Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

WYATT - Henry Lynn, 96, died March 5, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born June 16, 1905, in Senatobia, Miss., son of the late George and Lourie Lynn, he was a member of Holly Grove Baptist Church in Wyatt. His first wife, Arleayera Lynn, preceded him in death...

SIKESTON - Audy Powell, 85, died at 4:40 p.m. March 7, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Feb. 13, 1917, in Portageville, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Preston Pitts, she was of the Baptist belief. On Sept. 22, 1934, in Caruthersville, she married Vernon H. Powell who preceded her in death on Sept. 29, 1986...

DEXTER - Charles Lacy Smith, 66, died March 7, 2002, at the Three Rivers Healthcare North Campus in Poplar Bluff. Born March 6, 1936, in Dexter, son of the late Elzie Floyd and Helen Winona Coggins Smith, he was a lifelong resident of Dexter. A member of the Sons of the Confederate Army, he was also an amateur ham radio operator...

SHIPMAN, Ill. - Russell C. Clark, 69, died March 8, 2002, at Alton Memorial Hospital in Alton. Born June 4, 1932, in Puxico, Mo., son of the late Arch and Mary VanSyoc Clark, he was a truck driver for Amoco Oil Company before retiring in 1993 and U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. He was a member of the Woodburn Baptist Church, Honda Motorcycle Club, Gold Wing Motorcycle Club, Teamsters Local 525 and Lewis and Clark Radio Club in Godfrey...

SIKESTON - Tylan Dontrell Starnes, infant son of Merry Starnes of Sikeston, died unexpectedly March 7, 2002, at his home. Born Jan. 28, 2002, in Sikeston, he is also survived by one brother, Christopher Hawkins of the home; and his grandparents, Queen Ester Starnes and Albert Applewhite Jr. of Sikeston...

POPLAR BLUFF - Bradley Albert Henson, 14, died March 8, 2002, at his home. Born Dec. 23, 1987, in Poplar Bluff, son of Willis A. Layton and Iva J. Henson of Dexter, he was a lifelong resident of Dexter. Survivors in addition to his parents include: two brothers, Robert Cullum and Raymond H. Henson of Dexter; and one sister, Natalie J. Henson of Dexter...

SIKESTON - Shirley Gene Ripperdan, 65, formerly of East Prairie and Clinton, Ky., died at 4:10 p.m. March 6, 2002, at the Sikeston Health Care. Born April 14, 1936, in East Prairie, son of the late Muriel Ripperdan Cole and stepson of the late Sam Cole, he was a retired truck driver. He was raised in the Dorena and Wolf Island communities before moving to Kentucky, where he lived most of his life. He had resided at Sikeston Health Care since 1984...

MALDEN - James E. Leathers, 80, died March 6, 2002, at the John J. Pershing Veterans Administration Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Born Oct. 25, 1921, in Parma, son of the late Charles Earnest and Minnie Ethel Borders Leathers, he was a farmer, trucker and watermelon broker. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II. A member of the First General Baptist Church in Malden, he was elected "Watermelon King" in Southeast Missouri...

DEXTER - Louella Koslow, 88, died March 5, 2002, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center. Born March 29, 1913, in Dexter, she was the daughter of the late George M. and Clora Giles York. Her husband, William Koslow, preceded her in death on Feb. 28, 2002. Survivors include: one brother, Bill York of Dexter; and two sisters, Sarah L. Poole of St. Louis and Georgia Graves of Dexter...

SIKESTON - Luther Meredith Lee, 92, died at 11:30 p.m. March 8, 2002, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Born April 19, 1909, in Sikeston, son of the late Luther and Tessie Fisher Lee, he was a Specialist (C) with the U.S. Navy during World War II. ...

CHAFFEE - Golda J. White, 77, died at 9:50 p.m. March 8, 2002, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Born Dec. 29, 1924, in Nash, daughter of Clara Walton Horman of Chaffee and the late Frank Stidham, she was a teacher for Allenville and Chaffee Public Schools before retiring. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Rockview...

CHARLESTON - Vivian Lorene Babb, 85, died at 3:15 a.m. March 9, 2002, at the Bertrand Nursing Facility. Born Jan. 11, 1917, at Mill Springs, daughter of the late George A. and Mina Jeffords Cox, she lived in Charleston most of her life, where she owned and operated Mrs. ...

BLOOMFIELD - Mary J. Tilley, 28, died March 8, 2002, at her home. Born April 21, 1973, in Dexter, daughter of Patty Crowell Tilley and J.W. Tilley of Bloomfield, she was a lifelong resident of Bloomfield and attended the Assembly of God Church in Birds Corner...

CHARLESTON - Mable Lene Brown Hart, 80, died March 6, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Oct. 8, 1921, in Lee County, Ark., daughter of the late James and Aletha King Mack, she lived in Missouri most of her life. She was a member of the Ollie Grove Baptist Church in Wyatt, where she served as president of the Usher Board, treasurer of the Benevolent Fund and member of the Mother's Board...

DEXTER - R. Sessel Hutchcraft, 74, died March 7, 2002, at the John J. Pershing Veterans Administration Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Born Dec. 13, 1927, in St. Louis, son of the late Arthur Oren and Flossie Bean Hutchcraft, he was a member of the First General Baptist Church in Dexter and retired farmer. He served with the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne in World War II...

KELSO - Judith Marie "Judy" Robert, 56, died March 10, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born July 11, 1945, at Cairo, Ill., daughter of the late Arnold and Anna Schuch Brockmire, she was a printer at Lenco in Jackson and worked as a dental hygienist for Gary Riddle Dentistry. She was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, Ladies Sodality of the church and the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Post 114 in Sikeston...

SIKESTON - Luther Meredith Lee, 92, died at 11:30 p.m. March 8, 2002, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Born April 19, 1909, in Sikeston, son of the late Luther and Tessie Fisher Lee, he was a Specialist (C) with the U.S. Navy during World War II. ...

CHAFFEE - Twila Marie Hansen, 75, died at 6 p.m. March 9, 2002, at her home. Born Oct. 30, 1926, at Bloomfield, daughter of the late Harry and Ruby Hopkins Hindman, she was a receptionist for a lawyer's office in St. Louis before retiring. On July 1, 1950, she married Jesse F. Hansen who preceded her in death on Dec. 22, 1998...

CHAFFEE - Corena J. Dumey, 93, died at 6:43 p.m. March 9, 2002, at Jackson Manor in Jackson. Born Jan. 1, 1909, at New Hamburg, daughter of the late John and Katherine Schmidt Schaeffer, she was a member of the St. Ambrose Catholic Church and the Daughters of St. Ambrose...

SIKESTON - Vernice Wilson, 83, died at 10:04 a.m. March 10, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Jan. 7, 1919, in Hagarville, Ark., daughter of the late James H. and Orla Rowbotham Freed, she was a member of the Shady Acres Church of Christ...

SIKESTON - Floyd Porter III, 51, died at 2:45 p.m. March 9, 2002, at his home. Born July 16, 1950, in Sikeston, son of Lila M. Gray Porter of Sikeston and the late Floyd Porter Jr., he was a self-employed mechanic and a member of the steel workers union in St. Louis. He had been an iron worker and had worked on larger bridge construction jobs and the construction of the Calloway County Nuclear Power Plant at Fulton. He also had worked as a truck driver...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Sarah "Peg" Parker, 80, who died March 8, 2002, were: Jeff Brown, Kevin Evans, Andy Kelly, Brad Dewitt, Keith Miller and Gary Gilbert.

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Cynthia G. Collier, 40, who died March 6, 2002, were: Wayne Williams, Jerry Ward, Michael Jordan, Kevin Collier, Kenny McGuire and Tim Griffin.

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted March 10, 2002, at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter for Bradley Albert Henson, 14, who died March 8, 2002, were: Rick Kelly, Chuck Carmack, Ronnie Carmack, Robert Cullum, Ras Hall and Bobby Woods.

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Audy Powell, 85, who died March 7, 2002, were: Brian Lambert, Terry Davis, Greg Powell, Eric Powell, Gary Bevill and Britt McConnell.

DEXTER - Opal Chadwell, 92, died March 10, 2002, at Three Rivers Healthcare South in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home.

ARAB - Richard "Toby" Walker, 57, died March 10, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Dec. 22, 1944, in Zalma, son of the late William and Margaret Oliver Walker, he worked for Local 1770 Carpenters Union, was a farmer and a veteran of the U.S. Army...

WAPPAPELLO - Lyle Helm, 95, died March 10, 2002, at Three Rivers Healthcare North Campus in Poplar Bluff. Born Sept. 11, 1906, in Shook, son of the late John F. and Bell Parrish Helm, he lived for many years in Kirkwood where he was a foreman for Wagner Electric. He moved to Wappapello in 1987 and attended the Apostolic Church in Puxico...

ESSEX - Dora Lee Lawrence Causey, 75, died March 10, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Sept. 5, 1926, in Poplar Bluff, daughter of the late Leo E. and Nellie Huber Lawrence, she lived in Essex most of her life where she attended the Church of Christ...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Anita Diane Jacobs, 29, who died March 5, 2002, were: Chad Sykes, Orlando Walker, Earl Folkes, Stanley Perkins, Antoine Moore and Akera Nelson.

PUXICO - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Russell C. Clark, 69, who died March 8, 2002, were: Jami Clark, Tim Clark, Steve Clark, Tom Walter, Willie Roach and Bill Roach.

POPLAR BLUFF - Opal Riley Chadwell, 92, formerly of Dexter, died March 10, 2002, at the Three Rivers Healthcare South Campus. Born Oct. 6, 1909, at Powe, daughter of the late John and Iva Cooper Riley, she was affiliated with the Second General Baptist Church in Dexter...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Charles Lacy Smith, 66, who died March 7, 2002, were: Don Maddox, Art Morse, Joe Weber, Leon Corlew, Charles Swallows and Bill Fischer.

SIKESTON - Ruby May Frazier, 94, died at 9:52 a.m. March 11, 2002, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born March 10, 1908, daughter of the late John and Melvina Launius Wren, she was of the Pentecostal belief. She was married first to Troy Clifton Carr, then married Walter Layton. Her third husband was Lee Frazier. Her husbands preceded her in death...

KELSO - Judith Marie "Judy" Robert, 56, died March 10, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born July 11, 1945, at Cairo, Ill., daughter of the late Arnold and Anna Schuch Brockmire, she was a printer at Lenco in Jackson and worked as a dental hygienist for Gary Riddle Dentistry. She was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, Ladies Sodality of the church and the American Legion Post 114 Ladies Auxiliary in Sikeston...

CHAFFEE - Adella Marie Scheffer, 83, died at 4:16 a.m. March 11, 2002, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 13, 1919, in Sopoka, Okla., daughter of the late Wendelin and Laura Gerst Heisserer, she was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church and the Daughters of St. Ambrose...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - James Edward "Zeb" Taylor, 79, died at 10:35 a.m. March 11, 2002, at the Missouri Veterans Home. Born Nov. 11, 1922, in Loretta, Tenn., son of the late James David and Emma Alice Pugh Taylor, he retired as a cook for a restaurant in St. Louis. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and member of VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau...

BERNIE - Gearldine Neeley Caldwell, 76, died March 11, 2002, at Missouri Southern Heathcare in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie.

DEXTER - Aldon Kincy, 77, died March 13, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

ELLINGTON - Renzo Blevins, 84, died March 12, 2002, at the John J. Pershing Veterans Administration Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

PORTAGEVILLE - Daisy Maria Hobbs, 46, died March 12, 2002, at her home. Born Sept. 16, 1955, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Luella Cravens Hobbs of Portageville and the late Stowell Hobbs, she was a member of St. Eustachius Catholic Church. Other survivors include: five brothers, George Hobbs and Bill Hobbs of Oran, Stowell Hobbs of Charleston, Mike Allgier of Portageville and David Allgier of Union City, Tenn.; and three sisters, Ann Jane Crockett and Linda Thurman of New Madrid and Anna Catherine Long of Portageville.. ...

SIKESTON - Anna Colquhoun Draughon, 102, died March 12, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Oct. 12, 1899, in Gulfport, Miss., daughter of the late Robert and Evva Lightfoot Colquhoun, she was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Sikeston...

BERNIE - Gearldine Neeley Caldwell, 76, died March 11, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Oct. 3, 1925, at Senath, daughter of the late William Frank and Hettie Rosetta Pruett Kelly, she attended the Oneness Pentecostal Church in Dexter...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Tuesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Mary J. Tilley, 28, who died March 28, 2002, were: Charles Tilley, Billy McClure, Bob McClure, Tim Bruce, Scott Tilley and Chris Latham.

PORTAGEVILLE - Ann Tant Massey, 86, died March 13, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 21, 1916, in Wardell, daughter of the late John H. and Mary Hobson Tant, she was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, PEO Sisterhood and the First Baptist Church in Portageville. She and her husband owned and operated a Chevrolet-Olds auto dealership in the 1950s and she was a teacher for the Wardell School District before retiring...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today at St. Paul's Episcopal Church for Anna C. Draughon, 102, who died March 12, 2002, will be: Swayne Byrd, Jim Moreton, Harley Barnes, Harry Pratt, Randy York and Mike Keefer. The Rev. Robert A. Towner, rector of Christ Church in Cape Girardeau, will officiate...

PUXICO - Pallbearers at services conducted Wednesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Lyle Helm, 95, who died March 10, 2002, were: Quentin Marler, Travis Dillon, Daren Dillon, David Dillon, Greg Evans and Mike Scowden.

ELLINGTON - Renzo Edwin Blevins, 84, formerly of Bernie, died March 12, 2002, at the John J. Pershing Veterans Administration Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Born Jan. 12, 1918, at Townley, son of the late Silas Edwin and Rosa Mae Gaines Blevins, he was a member of White Oak Grove General Baptist Church in rural Bernie. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was a firefighter for the Malden Airbase before retiring...

PORTAGEVILLE - Sarah J. Jones, 94, died March 13, 2002, at the Portageville Nursing Center. Born Jan. 27, 1908, in Crawford County, daughter of the late William F. and Mary Rohrer Kimes, she attended the Conran Pentecostal Church of God. She is survived by one sister, Mary Richardson of Portageville...

SIKESTON - Tressa Mae Warren, 63, died March 14, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born July 1, 1938, in St. Louis, daughter of the late Levi A. and Edith Wells, she was a member of the New Life Christian Center. She was a cook for the Southside Cafe and was a babysitter for 10 years before retiring...

SIKESTON - Memorial and eulogy services for Floyd "Butch" Porter III, who died March 9, 2002, will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Sun., March 17, 2002, in the south pavilion at Rotary (City) Park. Paid memorial

DEXTER - Herman Pinnon, 83, died March 13, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Wednesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Dora Lee Causey, 75, who died March 10, 2002, were: Danny Talkington, Ike DeWitt, Ernie Thomson, Ricky Stearnes, Eugene Mitchell and Paul Head.

PORTAGEVILLE - Pallbearers at services scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Eustachius Catholic Church for Daisy Maria Hobbs, 46, who died March 12, 2002, will be: Rick Nave, John McCrate, Bob McCrate, Terry McCrate, Jose Arellano and Billy Thurman...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted at 10:30 a.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Vernice Wilson, 83, who died March 10, 2002, were: James Cowger, Charles DeWitt, Joe Karnes, Billy Littleton, Boyd Raper and Vernon Smith.

SIKESTON - Kenneth Earl Dickson, 72, died at 10:30 p.m. March 14, 2002, at his home. Born Sept. 15, 1929, in Sikeston, son of Earline Jones Dickson of Sikeston and the late Robert J. Dickson, he was a paratrooper in Japan with the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division during the Korean War. ...

DEXTER - Ora Mae Black, 95, died March 14, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born Nov. 29, 1906, near Essex, daughter of the late Edward Albert and Hettie Snider Triplett, she lived in Detroit, Mich., and St. Louis before moving to Essex in 1949 and was a professional seamstress and upholsterer. She attended the Ott School near Dexter and was a member of the Dexter Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses...

SIKESTON - Tressa Mae Warren, 63, died March 13, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born July 1, 1938, in St. Louis, daughter of the late Levi A. and Edith Wells, she was a member of Grace Outreach Ministries. She was a cook for the Southside Cafe and was a babysitter for 10 years before retiring...

DEXTER - Herman Russell Pinnon, 83, died March 13, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born Aug. 15, 1918, in Caruthersville, son of the late Wyatt and Johnnie Russell Pinnon, he was a member of the New Covenant Church in Poplar Bluff. A member of the Masonic Lodge and a Shriner, he was a retired breeder of game fowl...

SIKESTON - Memorial and eulogy services for Floyd "Butch" Porter III, who died March 9, 2002, will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Sun., March 17, 2002, in the south pavilion at Rotary (City) Park. Paid memorial

PORTAGEVILLE - Bryan Swilley, 105, died March 14, 2002, at the Portageville Nursing Center. Visitation begins at 5 p.m. Saturday at DeLisle Funeral Home, where services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday. The Rev. Mark Inman will officiate. Burial will follow in the Portageville Cemetery...

SCOTT CITY - Agnes Wilhelmina Kjer Hopke, 98, died at 8:20 p.m. March 14, 2002, at the Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Dec. 8, 1903, in Graysboro, daughter of the late Axel Tycho Kjer and Hannah Grant Davis, she had been a riverboat cook. ...

PORTAGEVILLE - Bryan Swilley, 105, died March 14, 2002, at the Portageville Nursing Center. Born Dec. 27, 1896, at Portageville, son of the late Kibble Terry and Louise Davis Swilley, he was a member of the Conran Baptist Church and the Masonic Lodge. He was a veteran, having served during World War I...

SIKESTON - Active pallbearers at services to be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Kenneth Earl Dickson, 72, who died March 14, 2002, will be: Aaron Dickson, Sean Tilley, Anthony Grimes, Mark Pavone, Phillip O'Kelly and Jason Scheurenberg...

EAST PRAIRIE - Violet Zelnar, 58, died March 16, 2002, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home.

SIKESTON - Donnie Hyslip, 52, died March 16, 2002, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home.

NEW HAMBURG - Betty June Westrich, 77, died at 9:25 p.m. March 16, 2002, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Born Jan. 4, 1925, in Pasadena, Calif., daughter of the late Frank Henery and Ethel May Fusselman Walker, she was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, St. Ann's Sodality in New Hamburg and the New Hamburg Homemakers...

SIKESTON - Donnie Ray Hyslip, 52, died March 16, 2002, at his home. Born Nov. 14, 1949, in Sikeston, son of the late Rev. Virgil and Evelyn Walters Hyslip, he was a U.S. Veteran of the Vietnam War and a self-employed building contractor. Survivors include: one son, Chauncey Ray Hyslip of Sikeston; three brothers and sisters-in-law, John and Linda Hyslip of Kalispell, Mont., Jim and Kathy Hyslip of Lexington, Ala., and Ken and Karen Hyslip of Sikeston; two granddaughters, Brooke Rae Hyslip and Brianna Morgan Smith of Lilbourn; two nephews and three nieces, Joshua and Rebecca Hyslip of Kalispell, Matthew and Rhonda Hyslip of Lexington and Melissa Hyslip of Sikeston; the mother of his son, Esperanza Hyslip of Fort Myers, Fla.; and a special friend, Susan Clarke of Sikeston.. ...

DEXTER - Geraldine Neuber, 83, died March 16, 2002, at the Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center in Dexter. Born June 9, 1918, at Lorain, Ohio, daughter of the late Alois and Caroline Hamburg Huber, she was affiliated with the Pentecostal belief and had been a missionary in Haiti and Germany...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Cynthia Darlene Sturm, 38, died March 15, 2002, at her home. Born Jan. 3, 1964, in Chicago, Ill., daughter of Kenneth Pace of Duluth, Minn., and Linda Herbert, who died in February 2002, she was a waitress manager for Shoney's Restaurant...

EAST PRAIRIE - Violet L. Zellner, 58, formerly of Cypress, Calif., died at 12:01 a.m. March 16, 2002, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Born Sept. 24, 1943, in Mansfield, Texas, daughter of the late William Carl and Luetesue Miller Gosnell, she was a nurse aide in California before retiring and was of the Baptist belief...

CHAFFEE - Earl J. Brucker, 72, died at 6 a.m. March 17, 2002, at his home. Born June 1, 1929, in Cape Girardeau County, son of the late Ambrose and Frances Rose Kirchdoerfer Brucker, he was a self-employed dairy farmer for 53 years and member of Chaffee Elks Lodge 1810...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Arlene Dumey, 72, died at 8:45 a.m. March 17, 2002, at the Lutheran Home. Born Aug. 2, 1929, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of the late Curtis William and Bertha Thedora Pfefferkorn LeVan, she had been a retail accounting-bookkeeper for Super Value in Scott City. She was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso and the church Ladies Sodality. On Nov. 22, 1948, at Kelso, she married Henry Albert Dumey who preceded her in death on Sept. 5, 1994...

DEXTER - Bill L. Webb, 73, died March 17, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born July 14, 1928, in Dexter, son of the late Leeman C. "Bill" and Alamae Revelle Webb, he had been a member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter since 1938. He was former co-owner of Allen-Henry Food Brokers of Missouri...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Sunday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Ora Mae Black, 95, who died March 14, 2002, were: Danny Mangus, Scott Mangus, Brad Mangus, Estell Williams, Darrell Burris and Rocky McCanless.

BENTON - Ben Hennemann, 88, died at 9:35 a.m. March 18, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born Sept. 14, 1913, at Schalls, son of the late Theodore and Mary Balsman Henneman, he was a carpenter for Harold Bollinger Construction. He was a member of St. Denis Catholic Church, St. Joseph Men's Sodality and the Senior Citizens...

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Wilma Billie Sander, 79, formerly of Scott City, Mo., died march 18, 2002, at the Beverly Health and Rehab in Frankfort. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

JEFFERSON CITY - Emily Gail Pickett, 54, formerly of Scott City, died March 18, 2002, at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

MALVERN, Ark. - Bobby Gene McWhirter, 69, formerly of Lilbourn and Marston, Mo., died March 12, 2002, in Little Rock. Born July 18, 1932, son of the late Robert Spencer and Ophelia Key McWhirter, he was a U.S. Air Force veteran and member of the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Malvern...

DOTHAN, Ala. - Matilda May "Tillie" Raidt, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died March 12, 2002. Born April 9, 1923, in Bragg City, Mo., daughter of the late Ira C. and Amelia C. Long, she was an accounting manager for Flowers Hospital and secretary for Dr. Paul Flowers from 1963 until retiring in 1991...

ST. LOUIS - William A. Sturgeon, 55, died March 16, 2002, at his home. Born Sept. 11, 1946, in Cape Girardeau, he was the son of the late Fred L. and Mildred L. Howell Sturgeon. Surviving are one brother, Fred Sturgeon of Chicago, Ill.; and two sisters, Judith Osseck of St. John and Carolyn Boling of St. Peters...

MALDEN - Chalmer Ray Elsworth, 66, died March 19, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Sept. 13, 1935, at Bernie, son of the late Homer Cleveland and Madgie Bell Partin Elsworth, he was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy in Bernie. He retired as an inside truck driver for Elmhurst Chicago Stone in Elmhurst, Ill...

JEFFERSON CITY - Emily Gail Pickett, 54, died at 2:30 a.m. March 18, 2002, at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia. Born March 3, 1948, in Bell City, daughter of Lynn May Jones Deimund of Scott City and the late Leonard Lester Workman, she was a clinical assistant for Dr. Joseph Kayser in Jefferson City...

SIKESTON - Opal Lee Hamlin Maack, 89, died at 8:55 a.m. March 19, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Aug. 16, 1912, in Parma, daughter of the late William L. and Nannie Jane Barker Smith, she worked for the Foster Grandparents Program and was a member of the Vanduser Baptist Church...

SIKESTON - Shirley Jean Sadegh Withrow, 62, died at 12:05 a.m. March 21, 2002, at her home. Born Sept. 14, 1939, in Sikeston, daughter of the late James Richard and Myra Aliene Adcock Hill, she was a member of the First United Methodist Church. A 1957 graduate of Sikeston High School, she owned and operated the One Day Cleaners from 1986-2000. ...

SCOTT CITY - Michael Ray Stephens, 55, died at 9:45 a.m. March 19, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 7, 1947, in St. Louis, son of the late Charles Zenith and Violet "Lorena" Allen Stephens, he was a locomotive engineer for 32 years with Cotton Belt Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad. ...

DEXTER - Nora E. Caldwell, 91, died March 20, 2002, in the Jerseyville Manor in Jerseyville, Ill. Born Dec. 24, 1910, at Clubb, daughter of the late Lafayette and Laura Phelps Dees, she was a member of Gospel Assembly Church in Dexter. On March 26, 1932, at Steele, she married Loan H. Caldwell who preceded her in death on July 21, 1993...

PUXICO - Homer F. Evans, 85, died March 20, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 19, 1916, in Fairview, son of the late Fred and Myrtle Swank Evans, he had lived in Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky and St. Louis before moving to Puxico in 1972. A staff sergeant with the U.S. Army during World War II, he was a claims adjuster with the Continental Insurance Company before retiring...

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Wilma Ida "Billie" Sander, 79, formerly of Scott City, Mo., died at 6:25 a.m. March 18, 2002, at Beverly Health and Rehab in Frankfort. Born March 26, 1922, in Scott County, Mo., daughter of the late Samuel and Elsie Marie Raspberry Menz, she owned and operated a beauty shop. She was a member of Eisleben Lutheran Church of Scott City and life member of VFW Post 4075 Ladies Auxiliary in Frankfort...

MOREHOUSE - Clarence Twitty, 85, died March 20, 2002, at his home near Morehouse. Born March 19, 1917, in Morehouse, son of the late John and Etta Evans Twitty, he was a lifelong resident of the Morehouse area and was a line superintendent for AmerenUE before retiring. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and had served in Alaska building the Alaska Highway...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Opal Lee Maack, 89, who died March 19, 2002, will be: Chad Kesler, Eric Kesler, Brandon Allen, Keith Nagy, Rick Smith and Louis Watkins. Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home...

SIKESTON - Mildred Baker Thrower, 85, died March 21, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Jan. 31, 1917, in Charleston, daughter of the late L.R. and Alpha (Baker) Baker, she co-owned and operated Thrower Shoe Repair for 33 years and was a member of Tanner Street Church of God...

SCOTT CITY - Lila Pauline Rubel, 84, died at 12:04 p.m. March 20, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born May 16, 1917, in Rienzi, Miss., she was the daughter of the late Clarence H. and Minta Jane Michael. On Aug. 24, 1971, at Benton, she married Claude Ervin Rubel who preceded her in death on Dec. 21, 1995...

CARUTHERSVILLE - Ivory Shaw Blacksure, 63, died March 20, 2002, at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti. Born April 29, 1938, in Blytheville, son of the late Charlie and Lee Annie Carter Shaw, he lived in Missouri for more than 60 years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Catron, where he served on the Deacon Board and was a longtime member of "The Wondering Five" singers...

CHAFFEE - Leon Gosnell, 69, died at 9:40 a.m. March 22, 2002, at his home. Born July 9, 1932, in West Frankfort, Ill., son of the late Odus Harold and Anita Bertha Hess Gosnell, he worked at Thorngate Ltd. and then at Florsheim Shoe Factory in Chaffee until retiring...

WYATT - Christine M. Gibson, 81, died at 5:43 p.m. March 22, 2002, at the Charleston Manor. Born Jan. 17, 1921, in Arkansas, daughter of the late William and Dora James, she lived in Mississippi County most of her life. She worked for the Brown Shoe Company in Charleston for many years and was a member of the New Covenant Pentecostal Holiness Church in Wyatt...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Ponder Funeral Home for Shirley Sadegh Withrow, 62, who died March 21, 2002, were: Jim Caskey, Herman Gardner, Joe Byrum, Dan Ford, Harley Davis and Gary Warner.

PUXICO - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Homer F. Evans, 85, who died March 20, 2002, were: Glenn Green, Brian Fleming, Matthew Jackson, Bradley Jackson, George Jackson and Dan Combs.

WAPPAPELLO - Vivian "Tincy" McDowell, 71, formerly of Morehouse, died March 23, 2002, at her home. Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston, where services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Georgia C. Allen, 92, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died March 15, 2002, at the Apache Junction Health Center in Apache Junction. Born Aug. 5, 1909, in Beardstown, Ill., daughter of the late George and Clara Kohlman Marshall, in 1954 she moved to Sikeston where she was employed as a nurse at Missouri Delta Community Hospital until her retirement in 1974. She then moved to Grand Junction in 1977 to live with her daughter...

MOREHOUSE - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Clarence Twitty, 85, who died March 20, 2002, were: Greg Deuster, Joe Sutton, Lynn Bradshaw, Ralph Meier, Joe Sutton Jr. and Buddy McCain.

ANNANDALE, Va. - Leroy (Lee) "Perch" Beal, 73, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., and a retired foreign service officer, died Feb. 2, 2002, from pneumonia at Suburban Hospital in Maryland. Born May 26, 1928, in Sikeston, son of the late Mary Henrietta Bryant and James Frederick Beal, he was an avid football player in high school and won a football scholarship to attend Iowa State University, becoming the first person in his family to attend college...

DEXTER - Alva Ivan Corzine, 85, died March 24, 2002, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center. Born Jan. 28, 1917, in Bollinger County, son of the late John Wesley Corzine and Elizabeth Jackson, he had been a farmer until 1945, when he moved to Benton Harbor, Mich., and became a construction worker. He returned to Dexter after retiring in 1981...

McGee - Effie C. Stephens, 82, died March 25, 2002, at her daughter's home in McGee. Born May 14, 1919, at Fair Oaks, Ark., daughter of the late William "Bill" and Effie Wells Wymer, she was postmaster at McGee for 27 years and a member of Shady Dell General Baptist Church. She and her husband owned and operated the Stephens Store in McGee for 40 years...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted at 10 a.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home for Vivian "Tincy" McDowell, 71, of Wappapello and formerly of Morehouse, who died March 23, 2002, will be: Cory Watkins, Pete Leija, Brian Pemberton, Tony Scudder, Nathan Day and Barry McDowell...

SCOTT CITY - Margaret "Maggie" Cornelia Steger, 51, died at 1:50 p.m. March 23, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born July 11, 1950, in St. Louis, daughter of Goldie McBride Asher of Chaffee and the late Malvin Leslie Steger, she was affiliated with the Catholic Church...

WAPPAPELLO - Vivian "Tincy" McDowell, 71, formerly of Morehouse, died March 23, 2002, at her home. Born Sept. 5, 1930, at Murphysboro, Ill., daughter of the late William and Roma Ellis Taylor, she had worked at the International Shoe Factory in Sikeston for 19 years and for National Lock another 19 years. She was a member of the Morehouse Baptist Church...

SIKESTON - Morris Ellison French, 90, died at 1:16 p.m. March 23, 2002, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born Sept. 30, 1911, at Crossville, Ill., son of the late Fred and Vera Lena Endicott French, he was raised in Chaffee and moved to Sikeston in 1940. ...

NEW HAMBURG - Michael Emanuel Westrich, 86, died at 9:42 p.m. March 25, 2002, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Born June 16, 1915, in New Hamburg, son of the late Joseph and Sophia Gosche Westrich, he was a plant engineer for Sunkist Growers and a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II. He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg and Chaffee VFW Post 3127...

SEBRING, Fla. - Amos Floyd Frye, 76, formerly of New Madrid, Mo., died March 25, 2002, at The Palms of Sebring. Born in Mount Vernon, Ark., he lived in New Madrid before moving to Sebring in 1988. He retired from Noranda Aluminum in Marston, Mo., after 18 years of service in maintenance...

SIKESTON - George Wiley Lackey, 74, died March 26, 2002, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

EAST PRAIRIE - Emma Jo Rowe, 78, died at 4 a.m. March 27, 2002, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home.

SIKESTON - Charlene Brookshire Crain, 88, formerly of Paducah, Ky., died at 12:45 a.m. March 26, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. The daughter of the late Samuel Luther Crooks and Louanne Fisher Crooks, she had worked as a waitress and was a member of the Broadway Church of Christ...

EAST PRAIRIE - Shirley Wheatley, 67, died at 4:30 p.m. March 26, 2002, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Ill. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

LANCASTER, Calif. - Laura Faye Anderson-Churchill-Giddens, 71, formerly of Dexter, Mo., died March 17, 2002. She was a longtime resident of Lancaster. She was first married to Lowell Thomas Churchill who preceded her in death. She then married Thomas Author Giddens who also preceded her in death...

DORENA - Howard L. Hutchison, 69, died at 10 a.m. March 27, 2002, at his home. Born Feb. 11, 1953, at Wolf Island, son of the late John and Betty Stokes Hutchison, he lived all his life in Mississippi County where he was a farmer and an electrician. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he was of the Baptist belief...

SIKESTON - Wilbur Gene Dirickson, 69, died at 7 a.m. March 28, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born March 25, 1933, in Scott County, son of the late Claude and Wilma Madden Dirickson, he had been employed by Sikeston Wood Truss as a truck driver and also was a licensed auctioneer. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having earned the rank of sergeant, and served during the Korean Conflict. He was of the Baptist belief...

SIKESTON - George Wiley Lackey, 74, died at 2:16 p.m. March 26, 2002, at his home. Born July 28, 1927, in Little Rock, Ark., son of the late Charles A. and Lela Johnson Lackey Sr., he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He lived in Michigan most of his life before moving to Sikeston and had worked in the shipping department and assembly line for General Motors in Flint, Mich., retiring in 1985. ...

EAST PRAIRIE - Emma Jo Rowe, 78, died at 4 a.m. March 27, 2002, at her home. Born May 8, 1923, at East Prairie, daughter of the late Aaron D. and Magdalene Vaughn Givens, she had lived all her life in East Prairie where she taught school since age 18, teaching in the East Prairie R-2 School System for 30 years. ...

EAST PRAIRIE - Shirley Wheatley, 66, died at 4:30 p.m. March 26, 2002, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Ill. Born April 27, 1935, in Anniston, son of the late Clyde and Fannie Mae Griffith Wheatley, he was a lifelong resident of Mississippi County and member of the First Christian Church in East Prairie. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and served as sergeant in the Korean War...

ANNISTON - George M. Harvell died March 28, 2002, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

SIKESTON - Ricky Lee Dirickson, 42, died at 11:25 p.m. March 28, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Jan. 24, 1960, in Scott County, to Wanda Ford Dirickson of Sikeston and the late Wilbur Gene Dirickson, he was employed as a welder with B&J Enterprise and was affiliated with the Baptist church...

ANNISTON - Mike Harvell, 58, died March 28, 2002, at his home. Born July 21, 1944, at Charleston, son of the late John Wesley and Eva Mae Jones Harvell, he had lived in Mississippi County most of his life and was employed by Moore's Landing in Wyatt until retiring in June 1998. He was a member of the Church of Christ in Charleston...

FRONTENAC - Carolyn E. McMullin, 71, died March 21, 2002, at her home. Born May 11, 1930, at Hibbing, Minn., daughter of the late Frederick and Dora Stostad Quayle, she was employed for many years as an assistant store manager of Stix, Baer & Fuller and later Dillard's Department Store. She was a member of the Salem Methodist Church...

ST. LOUIS - Julie Ann Palmer, 13, formerly of Bernie, died March 28, 2002, at St. John's Mercy Hospital. Visitation is from 1 p.m. Saturday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie until time of services at 3 p.m.

BLOOMFIELD - Helen Welker died March 28, 2002, in Farmington. Arrangements are incomplete at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield.

SIKESTON - Wilbur Gene Dirickson, 69, died at 7 a.m. March 28, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born March 25, 1933, in Scott County, son of the late Claude and Wilma Madden Dirickson, he had been employed by Sikeston Wood Truss as a truck driver and also was a licensed auctioneer. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having earned the rank of sergeant, and served during the Korean Conflict. He was of the Baptist belief...

EAST PRAIRIE - Eleanor L. Kennedy, 82, died at 12:55 a.m. March 29, 2002, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Shelby Funeral Home of East Prairie.

DORENA - Howard L. Hutchison, 69, died at 10 a.m. March 27, 2002, at his home. Born Feb. 11, 1933, at Wolf Island, son of the late John and Betty Stokes Hutchison, he lived all his life in Mississippi County where he was a farmer and an electrician. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he was of the Baptist belief...

SIKESTON - Jeannie Thomas Smith, 85, formerly of Wyatt, died at 5:20 a.m. March 28, 2002, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born Dec. 6, 1916, in Hardin County, Tenn., daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Craig, she had lived in Mississippi County most of her life and was of the Baptist belief...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted at 1 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for George Wiley Lackey, 74, who died March 26, 2002, were: Darrin Johnson, Jimmy A. Johnson, Freddy Jo Millner, Tony Millner, Kenneth Sledd and Travis Cox.

BLOOMFIELD - Helen Lorene Welker, 85, died March 28, 2002, at Parkland Health Center in Farmington. Born Dec. 14, 1916, at Bell City, daughter of the late Wilmer and Myrtie Garner Dunlop, she spent most of her life in Bloomfield and retired from Elder Manufacturing Company in 1982 after several years of service...

ST. LOUIS - June Mangrum, 83, died March 29, 2002, at St. Mary Hospital in St. Louis. Born June 5, 1918, in Caruthersville to the late James and Lulubelle Ash Ferry, she had lived her entire life in Missouri and was a homemaker. Her husband, Leonard, preceded her in death...

EAST PRAIRIE - Eleanor L. Kennedy, 82, died at 12:55 a.m. March 29, 2002, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Born March 2, 1920, near Clinton, Ky., daughter of the late Hubert and Ida Wilson, she lived most of her life in Mississippi County. She retired from the East Prairie School District where she worked as a cook for 25 years and was a member of the St. Henry's Catholic Church in Charleston...

ADVANCE - John Blankenship, 80, formerly of Zalma, died March 29, 2002, at his home. Born May 4, 1921, at Braggadocia, son of the late James L. and Mary K. Phillips Blankenship, he was a retired farmer and a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. On Jan. 7, 1950, at Advance, he married Edith Nash, who survives...

HIGH RIDGE - Julie Ann Palmer, 13, died March 28, 2002, at the St. Johns Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Born Oct. 21, 1988, daughter of Rodger Dean and Donna Gail Palmer of High Ridge, she was a student at Northwest Middle School in House Springs. In addition to her parents, she is survived by: one brother, Michael Allen Reeser of High Ridge; three sisters, Candice Dawn Palmer, Kelly Lunn Palmer and Tracey Lea Palmer of High Ridge; her maternal grandparents, Theron and Dottie Palmer of Dexter; and by her great-grandmother, Syble Stark of Dexter.. ...

BERTRAND - Bettye Lou Wagner, 84, died at 8:31 p.m. March 29, 2002, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Feb. 8, 1918, in Graves County, Ky., daughter of the late Harris and Annie Josephine Jones Spieght, she was a home maker and a member of the Cornerstone Church in Bertrand...

DUDLEY - Michael Lee Fuqua, 38, formerly of Dexter, died March 29, 2002, at his mother's home in Dexter. Born Nov. 28, 1963, in Oklahoma City, Okla., son of Eva Lee Kilmer Fuqua of Dexter and the late Dale Fuqua, he had lived most of his life in Dexter and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy...