Stories from Monday, January 21, 2008

DEXTER - Anita S. Jean, 98, died Jan. 19, 2008, at the Central Gardens Residential Care facility in Dexter. Born Feb. 15, 1909, in Higginsville, to the late Samuel Alfred and Annie Allen Schooling, she had lived in Higginsville before moving to Dexter in 1932. A member of the First United Methodist Church in Dexter, she was active in the United Methodist Women and taught school in Dexter for many years. She was active in PEO, Civic Club, Rotary Ann, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts...

SIKESTON - Paul Joe Witt, 79, died at 1:45 p.m. Jan. 20, 2008, at John J. Pershing VA Hospital in Poplar Bluff. Born June 14, 1928, in Crowder, to the late Paul John and Ruie Lee Atherton Witt, he graduated from Morehouse High School in 1946. He served in the U.S. ...

PARMA - Pallbearers at funeral services conducted Friday at the Watkins and Sons Home in Parma for Lillian Opel Marie Bratcher, 73, who died Jan. 16, 2008, were Kenneth Berend II, Matthew Alvarado, Dennie Bratcher, David Keown, Travis Lynn II and Adam Lynn...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Lelah Medley, 51, died Jan. 19, 2008, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center after a short fight with cancer. Born July 2, 1956, in Poplar Bluff, to the late Willie "Bill" and Bonnie Hicks Medley, she had lived her entire life in Poplar Bluff where she was a member of the Second Baptist Church and volunteered for many church activities. She worked in purchasing at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for 31 years...

CHARLESTON - Flora Garrard, 96, formerly of Parma, died Jan. 20, 2008, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born June 3, 1911, in Phil Campbell, Ala., to the late Thomas Eason and Kate Moriah Howard Faulkner, she moved from Alabama to New Madrid County in 1946 then in the early 1950s to Parma where she was a member of the Parma First Baptist Church. ...

MAYFIELD, Ky. -- Velma Walker, 79, died at 8:20 p.m. Jan. 18, 2008, at the Jackson Purchase Medical Center. The daughter of the late William and Willie Mize Mays, she was a member of the High Point Baptist Church in Mayfield and a homemaker. She was also preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters...

SIKESTON -- Dorothy E. Lashmet, 82, died Jan. 19, 2008, at Clearview Nursing and Rehabilitation in Sikeston. Born Jan. 22, 1925, in Barry County, Mich., she was the daughter of the late Richard C. and Katherine McIntyre. On Sept. 13, 1946, she married Fred Lashmet who preceded her in death in November 1987...

BERNIE - Marion Lucille Swader, 94, died Jan. 18, 2008, at the Golden Living Center at Malden. Born July 21, 1913, at Caruthersville, to the late Marion Presley Bebout and Autie Ross Ward Bebout, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bernie and former secretary for the Bernie Public School System, retiring in 1978...

DEXTER -- Sally Pauline Pugh, 90, died Jan. 19, 2008, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born May 13, 1917, at Piggott, Ark., to the late Robert L. and Ora Mae Cobb Lusk, she spent much of life in rural Bloomfield before moving to Dexter. She was a member of the Hill's General Baptist Church for more than 40 years and served as the church piano player...

EAST PRAIRIE - Andrew Ambrose puts it simply: "Farming is my life." Ambrose, who will be honored Jan. 24 at the Clinton Building during the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce's annual Farmers Recognition Luncheon, says he doesn't really remember not being involved in agriculture. As a child he began helping on the farm and by age 8 had earned a spot behind the steering wheel of a tractor cultivating beans...

SIKESTON - A fire this morning almost completely destroyed the home of Mrs. W.T. Malone at 219 W. Gladys St. --- SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Myers and family moved last Friday into the American Legion Home on South Kingshighway and will be custodians of the home...

SIKESTON -- It may be hard to see it now, but in the long run, farmers will benefit from filling out their Census of Agriculture forms. Gene Danekas, director of the National Agricultural Statistics Services Missouri Field Office, said he doesn't know if farmers understand how important their contributions to the Census are...

MARSTON - The small town of Marston is turning some big dreams into reality. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development presented the city with a mock check for $800,000. That money, along with $400,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds, will be used to correct problems in the community's water system...

I am making a comment to the person that put in A year to prepare. The comment was about making sure someone's child has a Christmas present for next year and caring less about the parent. I think you are a very rude and jealous person when you say something like this in SpeakOut. ...

MALDEN -- A police chase ended with a head-on collision Sunday evening in Dunklin County. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, at 8:27 p.m., a northbound vehicle stolen from Kennett was being pursued by Clarkton Police Department on U.S. Highway 62, one mile south of Malden...

SIKESTON -- Heading into the championship bout of the SEMO Conference Wrestling Tournament Saturday night, it was safe to say that Sikeston senior Gavilan Bland (171 pounds) had more than one chip on his shoulder. Not only was the state qualifier sitting on high school career win No. 99, he has also never been able to climb to the top of the podium in any tournament event...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Before every game, Incarnate Word coach Dan Rolfes said he talks with his team about getting off to a good a start. On Saturday at the Notre Dame Shootout, he couldn't have been happier. The Incarnate Word Red Knights, ranked No. 8 in Class 5, jumped out to a 20-4 first quarter lead over the Dexter Lady Bearcats, and cruised to a 65-40 win...

ST. LOUIS -- The Charleston Bluejays ended a four-game losing streak with a 51-33 win over the Metro Panthers on Saturday. The Bluejays led 26-18 at halftime and outscored Metro 11-4 in the third quarter to seal the win. Antonio Riggens led Charleston (11-7) with 12 points while Jordan Loveless had 12 for Metro (8-6)...

Wood LILBOURN - Courtney Wood is the parent of her first child, a son, born at 12:24 p.m. Nov. 29, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Mason Alton Wood weighed 5 pounds, 6 ounces, and was 19 inches long. Grandparents are Suesan Scallion and Brian Wood...