Stories from Thursday, August 21, 2003

DEXTER - Flora Mae Conaway, 96, died Aug. 20, 2003, at Cypress Point Health Care in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home.

This week started like any fairly normal week in our small community and then all hell broke loose. A foiled bank robbery attempt that included an alleged bomb strapped to the robber changed the normal morning routine in a big way. But it's refreshing to report that the ending of the saga was successful from all standpoints...

Card of thanks Thank you and your staff for all the nice publicity and pictures printed about our quilt show. Your newspaper plays a big role in our attendance, as members and visitors tell us they "saw it in the paper." Thanks again for all you do...

I would like to thank Bridger Plumbing for coming out Tuesday and fixing my plumbing. They came right out and did excellent work. I appreciate them and I appreciate their secretary too. I have a baby girl who is now three months old. She is beautiful, smart and healthy. ...

SIKESTON - One of the largest single donations to the Army Scrap Metal Drive came when Ralph Potashnick, secretary-treasurer of the Local Truck System, reported that about 40,000 pounds of metal, the equivalent of one carload, is awaiting collection. ...

SIKESTON -- It's one thing to endure a quick walk from an air conditioned environment to your car on a hot, humid day, but it's an entirely different story when you have to be out in the sweltering weather because it's your job. "Most of our guys are pretty experienced working in the heat," noted Missouri Department of Transportation's Southeast District Safety Officer Joe Steward. ...

SIKESTON -- As Sikeston R-6 students and personnel filed into their buildings for the first day of class Wednesday, several of them were reminded that the first day at a new place can create the same feelings of excitement and nervousness at any age...

MORLEY -- Adam Dale Slipis and Jennifer Michelle Ponkoney have announced their engagement. The future bride is the daughter of Joy Ponkoney of Taylor, Texas, and Slipis is the son of Sammy and Taina Slipis of Morley. Ponkoney is a 2003 graduate of Taylor High School and is employed at the Morley Baptist Child Care Center...

SIKESTON - Robert and Judie Rossell of Bethlehem, Pa., have announced the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer Katherine, to William Patrick "Bill" Robison, son of Jim and Fran Robison of Sikeston. The future bride is a 1991 graduate of Bethlehem Catholic High School and 1995 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania...

The Sikeston American Legion Auxiliary Unit 114 Junior baseball team recently presented a trophy and plaque to Geniece Kinder, Auxiliary president. These young players represented the American Legion this season.

Sikeston coach Brad Blackman works with the special teams unit in Wednesday's football practice. The Bulldogs will be on display for the first time on Friday night, participating in the annual Red & Black preseason scrimmage. The event is open to the public free of charge and will start at 7 p.m...

SIKESTON -- Jennifer Leeann Parker and Jamie Kyle McCoy were united in marriage in a 3 p.m. ceremony May 31, 2003, at the First Baptist Church in Sikeston. Dr. Rick Ramsey performed the ceremony. Dave Iannacone and Whitney Wright served as readers for the occasion...

WILSON CITY - Wardell "Poddie" Coleman, 60, died Aug. 18, 2003, at his home. Born Oct. 23, 1942, in Wyatt, son of Helen Douglas of Charleston and the late Mansfield Coleman Sr., he attended Bird's Mill Elementary School and was employed by Rafferty Hunter Farms...

MEXICO, Mo. - Mary Catherine Dill Owensby, 81, formerly of East Prairie, died Aug. 19, 2003, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Mexico. Born July 26, 1922, at Huntington, Tenn., daughter of the late Isiah Earl and Birchard Bennett Dill, she graduated from East Prairie High School in 1941 and was a member of the First Christian Church in East Prairie. ...

BURTON, Mich. - Klay Gregory Kellams, 15, died Aug. 19, 2003, in Burton, of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Born Aug. 24, 1987, in Sikeston, Mo., son of Sonya Jerrolds Kellams of Burton and Moe Kellams of Memphis, Tenn., he had recently left Portageville, Mo., to return to Burton, where he would have been a junior at Bently High School. ...

ADVANCE - Garry Lee Hess, 51, died Aug. 20, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born April 4, 1952, in Painton, son of the late Robert D. and Vilamae Spillman Hess Sr., he graduated from Bell City High School. A graduate of the Diesel Mechanic School in Memphis, Tenn., he was a parts manager for Nelson Tractor in Sikeston...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted at 11 a.m. today at the First United Methodist Church for Valerie Ann Baker, 38, who died Aug. 18, 2003, were: Phil Black, Cliff Jackson, Danny Kuykendall, Jeff Limbaugh, Harold Pruitt and James Reugh. Ponder Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Mildred M. Todd, 88, formerly of Morehouse, died at 12:15 p.m. Aug. 20, 2003, at Chateau Girardeau. Born Dec. 6, 1914, in White Oak, daughter of the late Wade Winslow and Cora Bizzell Tucker, she graduated from Morehouse High School and had been a postal clerk at the U.S. ...