Stories from Wednesday, October 26, 2005

So Long, Charlie Company... Not Goodbye! 14:15 (2:15pm), Sunday, 23 October 2005 - The last formation is over. All the remaining soldiers of Charlie Company have been dismissed. The yell of"CHARLIE COMPANY!" "HOOAH!" "CHARLIE COMPANY!""HOOAH!" "CHARLIE COMPANY!" "HOOAH!" has died away...only left in memory...

CHARLESTON - Lois Jean Bryant, 55, died Oct. 23, 2005, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Oct. 6, 1950, in Mount Bayou, Miss., daughter of Johnny Bryant of Senatobia, Miss., and the late Marcilla Watts, she had lived in Missouri since 1964...

DEXTER -- Retha Meroney, 83, died Oct. 24, 2005, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Born Sept. 22, 1922, at Puxico, daughter of the late John and Helen Hunt Ragsdale, she was a member of the Corinth General Baptist Church near Puxico and had worked at the International Hat Factory in Dexter...

O'FALLON - Doris Jean Sitz, 76, formerly of Dexter and St. Peters, died Oct. 25, 2005, in St. Charles. Born Dec. 8, 1928, in Dexter, she was the daughter of the late John and Irene Arnold Robinson. On Feb. 25, 1949, in Piggott, Ark., she married Hubert Ray Gene Sitz, who preceded her in death on Dec. 7, 1984...

KANSAS CITY - Christopher B. Rucker, 43, formerly of Sikeston, died Oct. 22, 2005, in Kansas City. Born Oct. 16, 1962, in Sikeston, son of Helen Rucker of Sikeston and the late Norman Rucker, he graduated in 1981 from Sikeston Senior High School and moved to Kansas City and attended The DeVry Institute of Technology. He graduated in 1985 from DeVry and worked in the electronic operations section of the Federal Government Treasury Financial Management Services for 20 years...

BLOOMFIELD -- Wilma Aslin Link, 93, died Oct. 25, 2005, in the Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center. Born March 21, 1912, near Bloomfield, daughter of the late Monroe Thomas and Dovie Ann Miller Aslin, she was a member of the Second General Baptist Church in Dexter and a retired seamstress for Elder Manufacturing Company, also in Dexter...

SIKESTON - Leonard Colley, 88, died at Oct. 25, 2005, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangments, which are incomplete.

SIKESTON -- Alvin Redd, 43, died Oct. 25, 2005, at the Clearview Nursing Center. Born July 31, 1962, in Sikeston, son of the late Leland and Betty Redd Baker, he lived his entire life in Sikeston where he was a 1981 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School and a member of the Cornerstone Baptist Church...

CONRAN - Mildred Townsend, 78, died Oct. 25, 2005, at her residence. Born Sept. 2, 1927, in Portageville, daughter of the late Carl and Dora Harp Ray, she was a member of the Portageville First Church of God. On Aug. 8, 1947, in Piggott, Ark., she married Pete Townsend, who survives of the home...

ALTON, Ill. - Pauline G. Novy, 69, formerly of St. Louis, died Oct. 24, 2005, at her residence. Born Sept. 13, 1936, in Independence Township in Dunklin County, daughter of the late Cyril and Cassey Hurrell Mobley, she had lived in St. Louis and Alton for many years...

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Tammie Elainia Rayburn Ace, 42, died Oct. 15, 2005, at her home in Rock Hill. Born Jan. 28, 1963, in East Prairie, Mo., daughter of Ted Joseph Rayburn and Carolyn Charlene Linley of East Prairie, she grew up in East Prairie and was a graduate of East Prairie High School. After moving to Rock Hill she earned her degree as an oral surgery technician from York Technical College...

EAST PRAIRIE - Lillian Harper, 86, died Oct. 25, 2005, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at this time with Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at funeral services scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Gladys Johnson, 91, who died Oct. 24, 2005, will be: Patrick Ayers, Garrett Ayers, Patrick Ayers Jr., James Johnson, Nathan Mays and Tony Barborek...

SIKESTON -- Malissa Carr was quite content when she thought her Powerball winnings were enough to purchase a container of salt to finish cooking supper last Thursday. Little did the Sikeston resident know instead of matching three numbers worth $7, her ticket matched five -- worth $853,492...

SIKESTON -- Think you have to watch "Halloween," "The Exorcist" or "Friday the 13th" to get a good scare this weekend? Then think again. From flashlight night in the 12-acre corn maze and other activities available at Beggs Family Farm to the haunted tours offered at Weemsville Farms and the Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores, area residents will have plenty of events to choose from this Halloween...

SIKESTON -- Spooky Space, presented by the Scott County First Responders, will be from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 28, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 29 and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores. Donations of $1 for children 12 and under and $2 for those over 12 will be accepted. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult...

Jarrett Perry, 2, and Lanette Baker, executive director of the Sikeston Area Humane Society, react Tuesday morning after being licked by Faith, a dog which was rescued from the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. Faith along with three other large-breed dogs, Rogue, Geo and White Sox, are now at the Sikeston shelter...

SIKESTON -- The city of Sikeston, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will conduct an informational meeting on blackbird control and dispersal techniques at 7 p.m. Nov. 15 in the Clinton Community Building. This meeting is the result of almost 18 months of research on blackbird migratory and roosting patterns in the Sikeston area...

BENTON -- The November election is the next critical step for Scott County's rural water district. Phil Lyon, president of the Board of Directors for the Public Water Supply District No. 4 of Scott County Missouri, met with Scott County commissioners during their regular meeting Tuesday to provide an update on the district...

SIKESTON - Dr. S.M. Sarno was elected head of the Morehouse Chamber of Commerce, organized this week at a mass meeting held in the city hall. CHARLESTON - The Charleston Jaycees played host to approximately 40 racing drivers and car owners Sunday at the Jaycee Building. Rules and regulations governing the 16th racing season were discussed...

This is about MODot and the contractor down in New Madrid County when you come off 61 Highway, coming out of New Madrid and you get on Interstate 55 on the off ramp. There is no white line to show you when you are in the traffic lane. This has been this way for two months. They re-...

I'm sitting here reading this pathetic story about the San Francisco woman who last week threw her three small children into the ocean. Despite her own words and eyewitnesses who watched in horror, she nonetheless entered a not guilty plea. I will never understand...

SIKESTON - Amy and Joel Evans are the parents of their third child, third son, born at 12:03 a.m. Sept. 7, 2005 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Jack Hobson Evans weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long. Mrs. Evans, daughter of Larry and Bonnie Lindsey of Sikeston, is employed as an educational sales consultant with School Specialty Inc...

NEW MADRID -- New Madrid County Central and Dexter take center stage in the biggest game of the season for both teams. NMCC (6-2, 2-0) and Dexter (5-3, 3-0) play for all the marbles, a SEMO Conference Central Division title and the undisputed lead in Class 3, District 1...

Nobody asked me but...what the heck is wrong with Charleston? With all that talent and they lose to Crystal City? It makes zero sense. No team fears Crystal City and with the loss, Charleston has to pray for some upsets to make the playoffs. The Bluejays don't deserve to make the playoffs after an up and down year...

CHARLESTON -- The impact of the Marshall family spans nearly the entire length and breadth of Charleston High School football history. From 1913 to the present, almost nonstop, a Marshall has been involved in the Charleston Bluejay football program, either as player, coach or school administrator...