Stories from Thursday, January 17, 2002

DEXTER - Patricia K. Hunter has announced the engagement of her daughter, Courtney, to Brantley Gilmer, son of Bruce and Frieda Gilmer of New Madrid. The future bride is the daughter of the late Johnny H. Hunter. A 1995 graduate of Dexter and 1999 graduate of the University of Missouri, Hunter will receive her juris doctorate in May from Vanderbilt Law School. She has accepted a position in the litigation group of the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman and Caldwell in Nashville...

SIKESTON - James Ruben Erving, 47, died Jan. 12, 2002, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn. Born June 6, 1954, in Crenshaw, Miss., son of Clara Hankins of Sikeston and the late Ruben Erving, he lived in Essex before serving in the U.S. Army and moved to Sikeston in 1977. A graduate of Richland High School in Essex, he was a member of Greer's Chapel Baptist Church and received the Golden Poet Award in 1987...

HAYWOOD CITY - Lydia Harrington Dorsey, 89, died Jan. 14, 2002, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born Nov. 19, 1912, in Sawnloke, Ark., daughter of the late Arthur and Sinnie Louis Jacob, she lived in Missouri for more than 60 years. She was a member of New Morning Star Baptist Church in Haywood City where she was church secretary and served on the Mother's Board...

PORTAGEVILLE - Raymond A. House died Jan. 15, 2002, after an extended illness. Born Dec. 28, 1924, in Linda, to the late William and Elizabeth Davidson House, he was a member of the First Baptist Church in Portageville. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and worked for the Missouri Department of Agriculture for 33 years, retiring in 1989. He he was involved in farming most of his life...

WAPPAPELLO - Ruth Schwab, 69, died Jan. 15, 2002, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, following a lengthy illness. Born Sept. 9, 1932, in Myrtle, Miss., she retired as a bookkeeper for the Culligan Water Company and was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church...

NEW MADRID - Pansie Marie Beaher, 84, died Jan. 16, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Sept. 10, 1917, in Pascola, daughter of the late Jess and Bessie Clark Tabor, she was a teachers aide for the New Madrid County R-1 School District and a volunteer teachers aide for Immaculate Conception School. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and former member of St. Ann's Sodality...

DEXTER - Nila Botsch, 50, died Jan. 16, 2002, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

SPRINGFIELD - Dona Long, 89, died Jan. 16, 2002, at the Springfield Rehabilitation Healthcare Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie.

DEXTER - Ruth Bailey, 89, died Jan. 17, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

SIKESTON -- The Tri-State Junior Golf Tour announced on Wednesday that Sikeston is on the 2002 schedule of events. The 10-event tour will stop at the Bootheel Golf Club June 12, then play at the Sikeston Country Club on June 13. The tour is open to all boys and girls who have not reached their 19th birthday, or started college by Aug. 1...

MOREHOUSE - Mrs. J.W. Bryant suffered second degree burns on her face, throat, arms and legs. She was holding a five-gallon container of kerosene when it exploded. SIKESTON - Mrs. Tom Allen lost a diamond pin valued at $2,000 in downtown Sikeston yesterday. The pin contains a circle of diamonds mounted on a platinum base. Mrs. Allen retraced her steps made while shopping but was unable to locate the pin...

Will the person who does upholstery please put your number back in the paper again? I've lost it and I need some upholstery work done. The main reason people are Republicans is that they think they will pay less taxes if they are under a Republican administration. It all boils down to the almighty dollar, as usual...

When Artrain USA literally rolls into Sikeston next week it will provide area residents with a unique, once in a lifetime cultural opportunity. The only art museum on a train will arrive at the Sikeston Depot on Jan. 22 with two days open to the public on Jan. 26-27...

MORLEY - Citizens of Morley are finally getting their wish, and one can bet they will be celebrating it for a long time. A ground breaking ceremony for the city's new sewer system was held Wednesday morning next to the Morley Community Building with the mayor, city council and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson present for the event...

Don Christian, a student at the Sikeston Career and Technology Center, films students attending the Center's Tech Expo Wednesday. Christian, who attends Bloomfield High School, is in the Sikeston Public School TV Production class.

SIKESTON - Let the campaigning begin. Candidates for city offices in most Bootheel communities had until 5 p.m. Tuesday to put their names on the list. Now they are gearing up for the April 2 municipal elections with some races featuring as many as four candidates...

WAYNESVILLE - A Scott City man was sentenced to life plus 50 years in prison for his role in the beating death of his cousin's lover. Gary Wayne Biggs was sentenced Wednesday by Circuit Judge Douglas Long of Pulaski County, according to the circuit clerk's office in Waynesville...