Stories from Thursday, May 13, 2004

DELTA - Kathryn Smith, 80, died May 12, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee is in charge of arrangements.

CHAFFEE -- Grandon Davis, 87, died May 13, 2004, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

DEXTER - Grace Reed, 97, died May 12, 2004, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

CAIRO, Ill. - Henry W. Johnson, 72, died May 10, 2004, at his home. Born Nov. 16, 1931, in Wyatt, Mo., son of the late Redmond and Mary Cobb Johnson, he was of the Baptist belief. He had been employed by the Swift Company, Burkhart Manufacturing and Alexander County before retiring...

CHARLESTON - Jemorrio Antonio Betts, 20, died May 9, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born July 16, 1983, in Sikeston, son of William Henry and Mary Louise Parker Betts of Charleston, he was a 2002 graduate of Charleston High School where he was a member of the basketball team. He attended Lane College in Jackson, Tenn., and was enrolled at Lincoln University in Jefferson City...

CHARLESTON - Margaret Virginia Roberts Foster, 78, died May 11, 2004, at her home. Born Aug. 7, 1925, in Nashville, Tenn., daughter of the late Albert and Maggie Covengton Roberts, she lived in Missouri since 1951. She received a Bachelor of Science in education from Tennessee State University and taught in public schools for more than 35 years before retiring. She was a member of Mercy Seat Baptist Church in Charleston, where she served on the Mothers' Board...

HAYTI - Teresa Wolters died May 13, 2004, in Hayti. Arrangements are incomplete at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville.

MARBLE HILL - Edna Barks, 84, formerly of Puxico, died May 12, 2004, at Elder Care of Marble Hill. Born Nov. 10, 1919, in McGee, daughter of the late Peter Shade and Gladys Hefner Rodgers, she retired from Bussman Fuse after 25 years of service. She attended the Puxico Baptist Church, was a member of the Good Neighbor Quilting Club in McGee and was a volunteer for the Wappapello Civic Center for more than 10 years...

CHARLESTON - Chance E. Kitchen, 25, died May 9, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 20, 1979, in Sikeston, he was the son of Frank Williamson of Sikeston and Lynette Kitchen of Columbia. He attended Charleston Public Schools and served with the Job Corps in Excelsior Springs...

SIKESTON - Wanda Dean Harris, 66, died at 9:30 p.m. May 8, 2004, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 29, 1937, in Arkansas, daughter of Alberta Gipson of Decatur, Ill., and the late J.B. Johnson, she was a member of the New Morning Star Church in Haywood City...

CHAFFEE - Mary Frances Burnett, 83, died May 12, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Sept. 4, 1920, in Chaffee, daughter of the late Luther Jefferson and Bertha Frances Maddox King Sr., she was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Chaffee. ...

BENTON - Robert Cyril LeGrand, 60, formerly of Sikeston, died at 8 a.m. May 12, 2004, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Born July 18, 1943, in Benton, son of the late Adam Eugene and Lorena Christine Scherer LeGrand, he was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a self-employed carpenter and member of St. Denis Catholic Church in Benton...

DEXTER - Nana Lou Hodges, 76, died May 11, 2004, at the Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center in Dexter. Born Jan. 10, 1928, in Clarksville, Ark., daughter of the late Elihu and Bethany McAlister Jones Sr., she attended the First Assembly of God Church in Dexter...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted Wednesday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Helen Jo Brown, 78, of Bernie, who died May 9, 2004, were: Rick Moody, Mitch Green, Dan Lape, Ken Lape, David Lape and Chance Downing.

SIKESTON -- Hemba Young will be guest of honor on his 92nd birthday Sunday. Family and friends are invited to attend a drop-in celebration from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the Clinton Building, 501 Campanella St. in Sikeston. Lowell Hemba Young was born May 16, 1912, in Petal, Miss. ...

In just over 24 hours, the Missouri Legislature will end their current session of the General Assembly in a contentious election year that was highlighted by approval of a balanced budget without a tax increase. It will be interesting come Friday night to hear both sides of the political spectrum claim victory. And at this point, I'm not sure if either side deserves much praise...

SIKESTON - The building permit for the erection of the new Taylor Funeral Home was procured this week and work on the structure will go ahead as soon as completed plans are received from architect A.F. Lindsay, according to Orville Taylor, owner of the firm. It is known that the building will be brick and located on West Center Street between the Parochial School and Loomis Mayfield's home...

SIKESTON - While medications and treatment for mental illness are getting better and better, getting people to seek treatment is as difficult as ever. "Mental illness is a very treatable disease and there can be very successful outcomes even for the most severe of mental illnesses," said Ron Steinmetz, executive director for Bootheel Counseling Services. ...

I wish I knew who to contact for the best teachers. New Madrid and Lilbourn have the best teachers I have ever known. Her name is Pearl Hicks and her husband is Mr. Hicks. They are two good teachers; he is a principal and she is a teacher. She taught me in 1980. I used to live in Benton and now live in Sikeston. I wish whoever honors teachers would contact Pearl Hicks. I would love to see her honored because she is one of the best teachers between here and heaven...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The Sikeston girls soccer team fell to Cape Central by a 2-0 score on Wednesday night. Mallory Wilson scored the Lady Tigers' first goal at the 10:00 mark on an assist from Chelsea Oliver. Oliver then scored on an assist from Megan McDonald at the 18:00...

CHARLESTON - A Charleston man is custody for the Sunday shooting death of Chance Kitchen. "Yesterday afternoon we were able to file murder charges against Antoine Atchison," said Neal Frazier, Mississippi County assistant prosecuting attorney and special gun prosecutor...

MATTHEWS -- Local residents are joining a national effort to increase the awareness about childhood farm safety. Recently Monsanto Seed in Matthews became the fourth chapter in the state to join the national Farm Safety 4 Just Kids organization based in Earlham, Iowa...

The international pilgrim virgin statue, "Our Lady of Fatima" was brought to the Sikeston Wednesday and is scheduled to be at area Catholic churches and schools through May 20. Youngsters carrying flowers joined the processional as the statue was carried inside St. ...

BLODGETT -- Sue Householder of Blodgett and Terry "T.K" James of Sikeston have announced their engagement. The future bride is employed by Burch Food Company. She has one son, Mark Householder; one daughter, Tammy Barnett; and five grandchildren. The prospective bridegroom is the founder of Bilt-Rite Trailers Inc. and is retired. He has one son, Timothy James; one daughter, Teresa McGill James; and three grandchildren...

SIKESTON - After nipping the New Madrid County Central Eagles in the SEMO Conference Tournament two weeks ago by a mere 1-0 score, the Sikeston Bulldogs wanted to leave little doubt that there would be another nail-biter on Wednesday at VFW Stadium...