Stories from Sunday, November 28, 2004

BENTON - Elmer "Johnny" Wiedefeld, 84, died Nov. 26, 2004, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Benton.

JACKSON - Lillian J. Smith, 78, died Nov. 26, 2004, at the Heartland Cape and Rehab Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Nov. 4, 1926, at Advance to the late Comelous Cox and Althea Zimmerman, she was a retired St. Louis school cook and a member of the Johovah's Witnesses...

SIKESTON - Morris Dale Hazel, 86, died at 3:17 p.m. Nov. 24, 2004, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Feb. 14, 1918, in Springfield to the late Arthur Dale Hazel and Ruby Gale Letterman Hazel, he was a systems engineer with Boeing and served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, including participating in the Battle of Midway during World War II...

BERNIE -- Maylinn Harvey, infant daughter of John and Michelle Kiser Harvey, was born Nov. 24, 2004, and died shortly after birth Nov. 25, 2004, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. In addition to her parents, survivors include: one brother, Nathan Harvey of the home; maternal grandparents, Robert and Debbie Kiser of Bernie; paternal grandparents, John and Linda Harvey of Aquilla; and her maternal great-grandmothers, Dorothy Carroll of Bernie and Deloris Probst of Potosi...

DEXTER -- Ada Stacy, 85, died Nov. 25, 2004, at Cypress Point Healthcare in Dexter. Born Dec. 18, 1918, at Essex, daughter of the late Albert Eaton and Lois Wilson Eaton, she was of the General Baptist belief. On Dec. 24, 1933, at Charleston, she married Raymond Edward "Speck" Stacy who preceded her in death on March 4, 1997...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Ronny R. Williams, 48, died at 9:55 p.m. Nov. 25, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 20, 1956, at East Prairie, son of Willie and Daisy Willis Williams of East Prairie, he had lived in East Prairie all of his life and was of the Baptist belief...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Hester Mae Ledbetter, 90, formerly of Sikeston, died at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 26, 2004, at the Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Sept. 17, 1914, in Oran, daughter of the late Harvey G. and Hattie Robinson Crader, she had been a factory worker at the Sikeston Ceramics Manufacturing Company and a cook for the Rustic Rock, the War Drum and the Gaslight Square restaurants in Sikeston. She was affiliated with the Baptist church...

I'm no prude nor am I a wild-eyed, free-for-all liberal who believes that everything goes regardless of the consequences. In fact, I truly believe that there are consequences for each and every action we take - both good and bad. I find comfort as a conservative but I also take strong objections with some of the talking points of the Christian Coalition. Paint me a middle-ground conservative with a strong disdain for the freeloaders who cost society far too much time and expense...

SIKESTON - The hangar at the south field near Matthews, previously occupied by the Missouri Institute of Aeronautics, has been sold to interests in Perryville for a reported $5,000 and is being dismantled preparatory to moving it. SIKESTON - The United Fund of Sikeston, with just a few days to go before Dec. 1, the scheduled closing date for this year's campaign, has reached 95 percent of its $37,600 goal, it was announced by Herschel Tyer, chairman...

You Democrats have had enough play on this silly "American lifestyle change." First it is obvious that it was called in by a Democrat, with the person pretending it was a Republican saying those things. Then you have all these Democrats calling in and beating up on it as if it were for real. ...

The Sikeston Depot Christmas Homes Tour is set for 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 5. This year's tour will include the homes of Kim and Joe Heckemeyer, 927 N. Ranney; Kendall and Roger Elledge II, 608 Laurel Wood; Betty and Vanice Johns, 319 N. Kingshighway; and Karen and Gary Silverthorn, 129 Greenbrier...

SIKESTON - With only a couple of days left to register, about 20 teams with over 100 total participants have signed up for the "Shape Up Sikeston!" fitness competition. Sponsored by Missouri Delta Medical Center's ReStart, the Regal Health Club, the YMCA of Southeast Missouri, Meeks Printing and the Standard Democrat, the contest hopes to help Sikeston residents keep from putting on extra holiday weight and become more fit with some healthy competition beginning Wednesday and continuing through Feb. ...

SIKESTON -- Several area residents will open their homes up for some "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" next weekend as they display their Christmas decorations in home tours. The Fourth Annual Sikeston Depot Christmas Homes Tour is set for 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 5., and the Mississippi County Historical Society's annual home tours will be offered from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 5...

EAST PRAIRIE - LaToya Terry and Edward Norman are the parents of their first child, a son, born Oct. 27, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Ethan Lee Norman weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19-inches long. Maternal grandparents are Adele Clark and Ferrell Terry...

NEW MADRID -- The Riverbend Classic tipped off with four games on Friday at New Madrid County Central High School. The Riverbend Classic, in its 10th year, is a two-day shootout featuring eight quality high school teams from Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi...

The 2004 All-Standard Democrat Football Dream Team is a selection of the top high school football players in the SEMO Conference. Since just one player is selected for each position, some outstanding local players were not included. To list as many as possible, two-way players were restricted to just one position. The team was chosen by the Standard Democrat sports staff...

SIKESTON - For years, Rodchester's has been a Sikeston favorite. It's namesake sandwich, potato skins, muffins and more draw customers from across town and beyond. New owners Mark and Shawdi Williams, who purchased the local restaurant on Oct. 1, see no reason for that to change. The couple say they intend to continue with what previous owner, Lynn Lancaster, did to make the restaurant so successful...