Stories from Friday, July 25, 2003

CHARLESTON - Assessed valuation has dropped in Mississippi County - exactly how much is in question. County commissioners discussed the county's drop in total assessed personal property as well as some drastic changes in line-item figures with Assessor W.R. "Bill" Thompson during the regular county commission meeting Thursday...

Kent Schott of Missouri Delta Medical Center throws the ball to the infield after making a catch Thursday night in the Sikeston Corporate Games co-ed softball tournament. MDMC claimed the co-ed title while Missouri Department of Transportation won the open crown...

SIKESTON - Increase and enforce the fines for littering. Ban the use of cell phones in construction areas. Don't put out warnings of road construction unless construction is actually under way. Members of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce offered these suggestions and more to Scott Meyer, district engineer for District 10 of the Missouri Department of Transportation. During Thursday's monthly Chamber meeting Meyer was on hand to talk about MoDOT and to answer Chamber members' questions...

SIKESTON -- From getting to class on time and making new friends to doing laundry and resisting gaining the "Freshman 15," there's no doubt college freshmen have a lot on their minds this summer. "For many of them, it will be the first time they'll be away from adult supervision for extended periods of time and some will have a difficult time adjusting to having to do things on their own," pointed out Doug Johnson, counselor at Southeast Missouri State University's Center for Health and Counseling. ...

SIKESTON - C.D. Harris began work this Monday with the Albritton Funeral Home. He will be in charge of the insurance business at the funeral home. --- SIKESTON - M.S. Tomerlin has sold his residence at 712 Sikes Ave. to John J. Reiss. SIKESTON - Fifteen firms and/or individuals have signed up thus far to participate in the Farm-Business Day Aug. 1, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, with Buford Baber as chairman of the event...

This is in reference to Calvin A. King who was arrested for chasing Mr. Pruitt down the street with a baseball bat. I know it was illegal and that it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I want to thank him on behalf of all the children who have been abused, myself included. No one ever stood up for us or made us feel we were worth standing up for. I hope he isn't punished for this because there are a lot of people who would have liked to do what he did, but didn't...

SIKESTON - Graveside services for Ruby Alfreda Byrd Critchlow, 97, of Aurora, Colo., and formerly of Matthews, who died June 24, 2003, will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston.

ADVANCE - Elsie Limbaugh, 84, died July 23, 2003, at the Advance Nursing Center. Born Sept. 22, 1918, at Swinton, daughter of the late Isaac "Ike" and Rosa Rolison Martin, she worked for Ralph Edwards Sportswear in Puxico for many years and attended the Bible Tabernacle Church in Bloomfield...

BERNIE - Charles Duncan, 65, died July 25, 2003, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie.

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers at services conducted at 10:30 a.m. today at Blanchard Funeral Chapel for John Ell Burton, 57, who died July 23, 2003, were: Monk Rose, Stanley Clark, Jeffrey Parks, a special friend John Bargel, Lee Flanigan, Kevin Flanigan, David Burton and Donald Plunk...

LILBOURN - Mattie Lou Vinson, 88, died July 17, 2003, at Beverly Healthcare in New Madrid. Born Dec. 20, 1914, in Cordova, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late Jim and Ester Fleming Yancy. Her husband, Eddie Vinson, preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by one daughter and one grandson...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Virginia Whitehead Bumbarger 91, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died July 24, 2003, at the Allen Morgan Health Center in Memphis. Born April 21, 1912, in West Point, Miss., daughter of the late William Cary and Roberta Harseim Whitehead, she was a member of Hunter Memorial First Presbyterian Church in Sikeston...

PORTAGEVILLE - Vincent "Peck" Eftink died July 25, 2003, in Van Buren. Arrangements are incomplete at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville.

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Don Shrum, 67, formerly of Puxico, Mo., died July 22, 2003, at the Lakewood Regional Medical Center in Lakewood. Born June 16, 1936, in Puxico, son of the late William E. and Ruth L. Buchanan Shrum, he graduated in 1955 from Puxico High School and was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He lived in Puxico until moving in 1956 to California where he was a surveyor for Los Angeles County for 37 years...

ROLLA - Hazel Mae Travis, 79, died July 22, 2003, in St. Louis. Born Dec. 19, 1923, in Newburg, daughter of the late Leonard and Offie Poynter Slawson, she lived in Sikeston for 30 years before moving to Rolla in October 2002. She and Eugene Travis Jr. were married in June 1977 and he survives of the home...

CHARLESTON - LaTane Mooring Lutz, 88, died at 11:25 a.m. July 24, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 1, 1915, in Ridgley, Tenn., daughter of the late Hernando Woody and Goldie Wyatt Mooring, she lived in Charleston most of her life, where she was a member of the United Methodist Church. She was a charter and lifetime member of the Junior Study Club...

MORGANTON, N.C. - Audrey McWaters Newman, 90, died July 22, 2003, at the Grace Heights Nursing Home in Morganton. Born Nov. 11, 1912, in Canalou, Mo., she was the daughter of the late William and Carrie Robison McWaters. Her husband, Aymon M. Newman, preceded her in death on April 30, 1979...

POPLAR BLUFF - James Harrison Green, 88, died at 5 p.m. July 22, 2003, at his home. Born March 10, 1915, in Brownfield, Ill., son of the late Charles Harrison and Iris Ethel Reedus Green, he retired as a self-employed industrial painting contractor. He was a seaman first class with the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a member of the Toledo Bend Church of Christ in Many, La...

DEXTER - William Sharp, 83, died July 24, 2003, at the Advance Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.