Stories from Tuesday, June 25, 2002

SIKESTON - Rebecca JoAnn "Becca" Kean and William James "Billy" Yearsin were married in a 2 p.m. ceremony Dec. 29, 2001, at Tanner Street Church of God before the Rev. Carl V. Addison. The bride is the daughter of Keith and Tammy Kean of Sikeston and Sheryl and Frank Cripps of Tolono, Ill...

SPRINGFIELD - Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Herndon have announced the engagement of their daughter, Mitzi Rene', to Bradley Campbell Lewis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth L. Allen of Sikeston. The future bride graduated in 1994 from Kickapoo High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in 1998 from Southwest Missouri State University and graduated in 2002 from the University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry...

The Sikeston Elks held their annual Flag Day ceremony Monday at the Elks Lodge. With the help of Brownie Troop 192, Cub Scout Pack 36 and Boy Scout Troop 59 the Elks Lodge honored the American flags throughout history. From left are: Alexis Martin, Hailey Alley and Zachary McCormick...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Billy Gene Glass Sr., 62, who died June 22, 2002, were: Carlin Glass, Joe Rampley, Bobby Rogers, Kevin Bolin, Jerry Don Glass and Wayne Kirkpatrick.

NEW MADRID - Agnes Gertrude Hurte, 97, died June 24, 2002, at the Beverly Healthcare in New Madrid. Born July 17, 1905, in Portageville, she was the daughter of the late Charles P. and Ida Belle Reeves Cook. On Nov. 24, 1923, at Gideon, she married Oscar Reynold Hurte who preceded her in death in April 1962...

MINER - Charles Doyne Pearson, 61, died June 24, 2002, at his home. Born April 29, 1941, in Center Ridge, Ark., son of the late Newton H. and Stella Pearl Shipp Pearson, he retired from the U.S. Army, after more than 20 years of service, and was a veteran of the Vietnam era. He was then employed in civil service by the Edgewood Aberdeen Proving Grounds and was of the Baptist belief...

DEXTER - Stevan Dale Hicks Sr., 44, died June 24, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born Nov. 24, 1957, in Bloomfield, son of Clifford and Mary George Hicks of Essex, he lived in Essex for many years before moving to Dexter two years ago and was a member of Clines Island General Baptist Church near Essex. He worked in the lasting department at Missouri Industries and at Hudson Foods...

BERNIE - Raymond Eugene McClain, 72, died June 24, 2002, at his home. Born Jan. 23, 1930, at Tyronza, Ark., son of the late Foster and Lillie McGowen McClain, he retired as a repairman for the General Motors plant in St. Louis. A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, he was a member of the American Legion at Qulin...

SCOTT CITY - Eugene Victor "Bake" Baker, 95, formerly of Thebes, Ill., died at 6:40 a.m. June 24, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born June 7, 1907, in Blodgett, son of the late Wood E. and Cora McCollum Baker, he was a member of Fathers Arms Fellowship. He retired as an inspector with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, after 33 years of service, during which he had worked on the flood wall at Cape Girardeau. After retiring, he worked for Bakers Finer Foods...

MARION, Ill. - Edgar Lee "Ed" Garner, 65, formerly of Mississippi County, Mo., died at 12:50 p.m. June 23, 2002, at Memorial Hospital in Marion. Born June 29, 1936, in Mississippi County, son of the late James Clarence and Myrtle Zuck Garner, he retired from Ford Motor Company in Cleveland, Ohio, before moving to Marion several years ago. A U.S. Air Force veteran and member of the United Auto Workers, he was of the Pentecostal belief...

You don't have to tune into television to see real crime in action, just take heed to the Sikeston Public Safety's weekend apprehension of a convicted murderer from East St. Louis. Public Safety personnel, acting on a tip from the Missouri Highway Patrol, set up surveillance for Carl Wayne Wilson on Friday. After a several tense hours and some excellent police work, Wilson is now back in jail in Illinois to face murder charges...

NEW HAMBURG - Kimberly Michelle Riley and Blake Daniel Burger were married Feb. 9, 2002, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church. The Rev. Normand Varone performed the double-ring ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Don and Geri Riley of Blodgett and the bridegroom is the son of Danny and Pat Burger of New Hamburg...

I'm sorry for the family of the boy who got killed at Cape, especially sorry that he was drinking. But I'm also sorry for the guy who was driving the truck. He was trying to work and has to live with that for the rest of his life. I think he and the family should find out who sold the boy the liquor and find out who made it and sue them just like they're suing people about the tobacco company. ...

SIKESTON - A housewarming was given to Mr. and Mrs. Bill Shain, 507 Harris St., by Mrs. Marshall and a group of their friends Friday. BENTON - After deliberating an hour and 15 minutes, an all-white male jury returned a verdict Tuesday of guilty of first degree murder against James "Buddy" Williams. He will go to the gas chamber, unless further legal action can save his life...

SIKESTON - Sikeston's Shannon Lawson recently won several events on the Midwest Karate Tournament circuit. In April, she took first at the Pearl of the Plains National Karate Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. In May, she took first at the Tornado Internationals in Kansas City...

SIKESTON - Dana Christine Oliver is the mother of her second child, first son, born at 9:19 a.m. May 30, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Logan Allen Oliver weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces and was 19 1/2-inches long. Oliver, daughter of Joyce and David Golightly of Bertrand and Henry and Marie Oliver of Essex, is employed by Pixyland Daycare in Sikeston...

SIKESTON -- Although 75 percent of Missouri's public school districts and charter schools have offered to pay for next year's standardized science and social studies test, some local superintendents aren't among the majority. Of those who are paying for it, they feel like they weren't given a choice...

SIKESTON - The stomachs of area children may rumble in between meals or because noses were turned up at what mom was serving, but if school-aged youngsters are hungry in Sikeston it's not because of a lack of food. The Missouri State Health Department has once again teamed up with area agencies in an effort to see that every child receives well balanced meals in the summer, when regular school lunch and breakfast programs are not operating...