Stories from Friday, March 9, 2012

PUXICO -- Elsie Burge, 96, died March 5, 2012, at her home. Born Sept. 23, 1915, in White Oak, to the late Lee and Jenny Oler Harris, she was a member of the First Christian Church in Puxico and the Christian Women's Fellowship. A former member of the Business & Professional Women organization, she and her husband were co-owners of Burge Electric and Burge Drilling Company...

SIKESTON -- Pearlene Starks, 63, died March 7, 2012, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. Born Dec. 22, 1948, in Osceola, Ark., to the late Lonnie and Nettie Powell Mitchell, she retired from AT&T in 2000 and was of the Baptist belief. She married James Starks who preceded her in death...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers for services held Thursday at the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Randy Johnson, 57, who died on March 5, 2012 were: Rickie Drake, Gene Drake, Andrew Merrick, Jacob Merrick, John David Spencer and Ross Irwin. Honorary pallbearers were: Jesse Pierce and Stephen Pierce...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Wilma Lee Shively, 70, died at 9:24 a.m. March 8, 2012, at her home. Born Aug. 20, 1941, at Bear Creek, Ala., to the late Cora Cagle Fourthman, she lived most of her life in East Prairie where she was a member of the First Church of God. She was the custodian at the First United Methodist Church in Charleston for 22 years...

SIKESTON -- Reva "Noyes" Curtner, 84, died March 7, 2012, at the Monticello House in Jackson. Born June 26, 1927, in Sikeston, to the late James Arthur and Anna Myrtle Counsil Noyes, she was a homemaker and member of the Trinity Gospel Church in Sikeston...

MARSTON -- Harold Hayes, 80, died March 8, 2012, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete with DeLisle Funeral Home of Portageville.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Jewell Crawford, 87, formerly of Sikeston, died March 8, 2012, at the Cape Girardeau Veterans Home. Arrangements are incomplete with Nunnelee Funeral Chapel of Sikeston.

CHARLESTON -- Beverly Dianne Chandler Stark, 67, died March 8, 2012, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete with McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

NEWPORT, Ark. -- Thelma Juanita Beaird, 85, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Thursday, March 8, 2012, at Harris Hospital in Newport. She was born Oct. 16, 1926, in Hornersville, Mo., to the late A.L. and Dorsie Brown Horner. She graduated from business school in Memphis, Tenn., then received a bachelor's degree in education from Arkansas State University and a master's degree in education from Mississippi State University. ...

CHAFFEE -- Kiley Parr-Allison, 33, formerly of Oran, died March 5, 2012, at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Born Sept. 28, 1978, in Sikeston, daughter of Troy Parr Jr. of Dexter and Maxann Parr Eftink of Oran, she worked at Heartland Moving Systems as an agent for Stevens Worldwide Van Lines in Cape Girardeau. She was of the Christian belief...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Avila University offered Ben Walker exactly what he wanted -- a smaller atmosphere, his major and a chance to play football. Walker recently signed his letter of intent to play football for the Avila Eagles making him the third 2012 Sikeston Bulldog lineman to play at the next level...

davidj@standard-democrat.com POPLAR BLUFF -- Several local boys teams will be fighting to make it to the state semifinals this weekend in Classes 1, 2 and 3. Here is a breakdown of the games featuring local teams. 2:45 p.m. Saturday, Poplar Bluff High School...

PORTAGEVILLE - The state fire marshal will be on the scene of a Thursday night fire which destroyed a Portageville business. Portageville Police Chief Ronnie Adams said the fire marshal was called to investigate a fire at Katie's Diner, located on Highway 61 North...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Recycling bins are not dumpsters -- nor are they toilets. Carlin Bennett, presiding county commissioner, said during the regular Mississippi County Commission meeting Thursday that he was asked by Willard Adams, planner for the Bootheel Solid Waste Management District in Malden, to put the word out: Use recycling trailers as intended or lose them...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- As local prom organizers can attest to, it takes months of planning and hours of hard work to make prom a night to remember for their high schoolers. "It's all about the kids and getting to see them all dressed up and looking gorgeous," said Janey Kennett, junior class prom sponsor for New Madrid County Central High School. "Everybody seems to shine that night."...

CHARLESTON -- For the second time in one week, a Southeast Missouri employer has announced its closing. The Gates Corp., which is based in Denver, confirmed the Gates Rubber Company in Charleston will close, leaving 127 people without jobs. The plant, located at 1300 Plant Road, in Charleston makes hydraulic hoses used in tractors and airplanes...