Stories from Thursday, March 19, 2009

MATTHEWS - Pallbearers at services set for 10 a.m. Friday at Ponder Funeral Home for Lonnie Gimlin, 64, who died March 17 2009, will be: Don Hart Sr., Dave Hart Jr., Dennis Reed, Lowell Ray, Larry Ray and Jerry Ray. Honorary pallbearers will be: Dave Hart Sr., Ronnie Cagle and Billy Burruss...

SIKESTON -- Peggy Lou Pearson, 67, died at 12:15 a.m. March 19, 2009, at Miner Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

CHAFFEE - Earl Blattel, 80, died March 18, 2009, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee is in charge of arrangements, which are incomplete.

DEXTER -- Bill Silliman, 76, died March 19, 2009, at his home in rural Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

FLORISSANT -- Mary Jane Banks Pool, 92, formerly of East Prairie, died at 3:45 p.m. March 18, 2009, at her home. Funeral arrangements are with the Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

NEW MADRID -- Cheryl Lyons Phelps, 51, died March 16, 2009, at the St. Louis University Hospital. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SAN ANTONIO -- Willard J. "Dub" Bennett Jr., 83, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died March 11, 2009, in San Antonio. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

MATTHEWS -- Joan Mueller, 72, died at 8:35 p.m. March 18, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are with the Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON - Hilton Grover Copeland, 69, of rural Sikeston, died at 8:18 p.m. March 17, 2009, at his residence. Funeral arrangements are with the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

VALLEJO, Calif. -- Viva Ernestine Freitas, 84, died March 5, 2009, at the Mendoza Care Home in Vallejo. Funeral arrangements are with the Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Puxico, Mo. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

CHAFFEE -- Bob Wachter, 78, died at 11:30 a.m. March 18, 2009, at his family's home. Funeral arrangements are with the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- When current head track coach Terry Flannigan took over the program from the retired Jerry Dement at Sikeston High School, he inherited a solid returning Bulldog squad that has shown a lot of success in recent years. A handful of individual state titles head back for Flannigan's crew and he's already anticipating good things for the 2009 season, including a chance to defend their district title from 2008...

POPLAR BLUFF - Recent DWI saturations conducted in some of the 13 counties in southeast Missouri resulted in 19 arrests. Highway Patrol officers in Troop E conducted the saturation from 11 a.m. Saturday through 3 a.m. Sunday. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

CARUTHERSVILLE -- A pedestrian was struck in Caruthersville on Wednesday night, resulting in minor injuries. Caruthersville police officers responding to Truman Boulevard around 8:40 p.m. found Alfred Dean Carter lying on the shoulder of the road. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Last week, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced it is doubling the number of GED testing dates at its Jefferson City office through May in response to the rising demand among displaced workers for a certificate of high school equivalency...

SIKESTON -- Motorcyclists may get five years to prove they should be free to ride without head protection. On March 12, the Missouri Senate voted to allow people at least 21 years old to ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet when not traveling on an interstate highway...