Stories from Thursday, December 16, 2004

SIKESTON -- TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) Chapter 1142 meets from 5 to 7 p.m. each Thursday in the 1st GMAC Realty building (rear), 522 N. Main St. The organization offers support to those who want to lose weight. TOPS is open to men, women and children age 7 and older. ...

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. - Patricia "Pat" Whistle, 75, died at 2:45 a.m. Dec. 14, 2004. Born April 1, 1929, in Charleston, Mo., she was the daughter of the late Ralph Noisworthy and Clara Vowels Noisworthy. On March 18, 1948, she married Don Whistle who preceded her in death on May 24, 1999...

CHAFFEE - Joe E. Noble, 67, died Dec. 14, 2004, at his home. Born June 17, 1937, in Kennett, son of the late John Hampton and Minnie Opal Fox Noble, he retired as an electrician in Detroit, Mich., and was a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 58. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Wednesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Elaine J. Miller, 69, who died Dec. 11, 2004, were: Brian Empey, Chris Rogers, Jason Vaughn, Benjamin Garcia, Kevin Cross and Carey Dalton.

ESSEX - Wilson E. Langley, 91, died Dec. 14, 2004, at the Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center at Dexter. Born Jan. 8, 1913, near Essex to the late Randall Greenfield and Sarah Jane Taylor Langley, he received his bachelor of science degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a master's degree from the University of Michigan with honors. In his early career in education he served as a teacher, coach and superintendent. Also he was a landowner and farmer near Essex...

HOLTS SUMMIT -- Riley Joseph Wheat, son of Duke and Sarah Sherrod Wheat of Holts Summit, died at birth Dec. 13, 2004, at the Capital Regional Medical Center in Jefferson City. Surviving in addition to his parents are his paternal grandparents, Dennis Wheat Sr. ...

SIKESTON -- Charles "Charlie" William Myers, 76, died Dec. 11, 2004. He was the son of the late Bess and Tola Myers and had served on Sikeston's Board of Housing Authority. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he was a member of Sikeston Elks Lodge 2319 and member and course marshal of the Sikeston Country Club. He worked for Standard Oil Co. for 20 years and also for Petro, Yerbey Oil Co. and Westex Energy Co...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Maxine Marie Mott, 77, formerly of East Prairie, died at 6:05 p.m. Dec. 15, 2004, at the Chaffee Nursing Home. Born March 26, 1927, in Blodgett, daughter of the late Charley and Ella Mae Johnson, she was a member of the Ahniyvwiya tribe of Native American under the leadership of Chief Paul White Eagle and was given the Indian name Snow Bird...

PARMA - Verneta Camille Fleming, 68, died Dec. 14, 2004, at her home. Born Feb. 6, 1936, in Marston, daughter of Verna Beatrice Ruby Cameron of Parma and the late John Narvel Cameron, she was a member of the Parma General Baptist Church. On Oct. 17, 1951, in Parma, she married Harold Hubert Fleming who survives of the home...

NEW MADRID - Ruby Sweet Pattinson, 87, died Dec. 15, 2004, at the Beverly Healthcare in New Madrid. Born Aug. 19, 1917, in Matthews to the late Edgar and Clara Gardner Sweet, she was affiliated with the Baptist Church. Her husband, Bond Pattinson, preceded her in death on March 5, 1991...

CHAFFEE -- Arlie Otis Rister Jr., 72, died Dec. 15, 2004, at his home in Chaffee. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

OAKWOOD VILLAGE, Ohio - Harold L. "Buck" Boone, 57, formerly of Parma, Mo., died Dec. 14, 2004, at his home. Born Jan. 27, 1947, in Akron, son of the late Samuel Lewis and Edna Garland Boone, he graduated from Parma High School. A U.S. Army veteran, he lived in Ohio for the past 30 years, where he was a pipefitter for the Ford Motor Company. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge...

SIKESTON - John B. Butrum, 80, died at 1:50 a.m. Dec. 16, 2004, at his home. Born Oct. 14, 1924, in Parma, son of the late Alfred and Katherine Lee Butrum, he retired as a welder for Steward Steel and was a charter member of New Hope Baptist Church. He was a private first class with the U.S. Army during World War II, landing at Omaha Beach in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day then served throughout Europe until the end of the war...

SIKESTON -- Susan L. Lee, 56, died Dec. 15, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

POPLAR BLUFF - Lawrence M. Wright Sr., 88, died Dec. 15,2004 , at the Cedargate Nursing Home. Born Jan. 30, 1916, in Middlebrook, Ark., son of the late Claude and Monie Holt Wright, he retired as a diesel mechanic for the Fabick Caterpillar Company in Sikeston...

SIKESTON - Pfc. Joe E. Moss, son of E.L. Moss of Sikeston, was reported missing in action in France Nov. 9, a message from the War Department to his wife stated last week. Moss has been in service three years and overseas with a infantry regiment since May 1944...

I agree that the daughter should be taking care of her own mother, as most people would do. The point is she is not and who knows the circumstances? It could be in the best interest of the mother that the daughter is not taking care of her. The point is, that is the woman's (worker) job to be there. Admit it. It's wrong. People do that all the time. It is their job to be there with the elderly and to take care of them but spending their own time doing their own errands. Don't be offended...

Courtney Collins, a student at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Sikeston, hands a bag of Christmas presents to Larry Shadwick of Mission Missouri Wednesday morning. The school, preschool through eighth grade, collected items for 11 families they adopted for Christmas...

SIKESTON -- Unrealistic expectations and overcommercialization as well as increased demands of shopping, parties, family reunions and houseguests during the holidays can all contribute to feelings of tension and stress during what is supposed to be a time of joy...

Top: Sikeston Department of Public Safety PSO Bethany Ebert inputs information on a woman arrested on a warrant Thursday morning. Over 50 warrants were served during the DPS Christmas roundup. At press time, 18 had been arrested from the warrant list along with three others. ...

I'm not shy about blasting political officials who try to manipulate elections. I remember this summer when a group of Democratic officials employed ex-convicts to canvass homes in Missouri. And I've been somewhat vocal about Jesse Jackson's latest election scam in Ohio...

PERRYVILLE - The inaugural Bank of Missouri 2004 Heartland Hoopfest, set for Saturday at the Perry Park Center in Perryville, will feature seven games with six involving teams with local ties. Charleston, a Class 3 final four team from last year, will play defending Class 4 state champion Vashon in the feature game at 8 p.m...

BENTON - The Sikeston ninth grade basketball team improved to 2-3 on the season with a 48-26 win at Kelly. Sikeston led 12-8 after one quarter and extended the lead to 22-12 at halftime. The Bulldogs put the game away with a 15-2 run in the third quarter...