Stories from Tuesday, January 8, 2013

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs saw their share of frustration early this season as they fought through six straight losses before picking up their first win of the season. As of late, however, the Lady Bulldogs have turned things around and are currently owners of a three-game winning streak including wins over Scott City and Chaffee...

sports@standard-democrat.com ORAN -- Led by 17 points from Lyndsie Robert, the seventh-seeded Scott City Lady Rams handed the Chaffee Lady Devils a 45-42 upset in the opening round of the Scott-Mississippi Conference Tournament. The Lady Rams came out and outscored Chaffee 19-6 in the first quarter and took a nine-point lead into halftime. The Lady Devils closed to within two pints entering the fourth, but were outscored 11-9 in the final frame as the Lady Rams held on...

SIKESTON -- Howard Smith died Jan. 8, 2013, at his home in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete with Ponder Funeral Home.

DUDLEY -- Gerald Ratley, 66, died Jan. 7, 2013. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Melvin L. Morris, 90, died Jan. 8, 2013, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at the Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

PORTAGEVILLE - Barry McCoy, 48, died Jan. 8, 2013, at the Pemiscot Memorial Hospital In Hayti. DeLisle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

BELL CITY -- Rodney Bradshaw, 45, died Jan. 7, 2013, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete with Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

CHARLESTON -- Frances Ellen "Lucy" Bradley Crane, 52, died Jan. 6, 2013, at her home. Born May 6, 1960, at Charleston, to Mary Inez Bradley Crane Smith of Charleston and the late James Thomas Crane Sr., she had lived in Charleston most of her life and was a 1978 graduate of Charleston High School. She had worked as a convenience store clerk and attended the Church of Christ...

SIKESTON -- Billy Eugene "Bill" Lancaster, 83, died Jan. 6, 2013, at Bertrand Retirement Center. Born March 21, 1929, in Matthews, to the late Otis and Flora Eula Roy Lancaster, he was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He attended First Church of the Nazarene, was a member of New Madrid Masonic Lodge 429 and worked as a mechanic for United Parcel Service for 28 years before retiring...

ST. LOUIS -- Oma Shanks Wagner, 98, died Jan. 6, 2013. Born Aug. 4, 1913, in Morehouse, to the late James Wesley and Alpha Bridgeman Shanks, she attended St. Louis Public Schools until moving to New York City in the 1930s to join the John Robert Powers Modeling Agency. She did secretarial/administrative work and private duty nursing for many years...

DESTOTO, Texas -- Brenda S. Odle, 66, died Jan. 5, 2013, at her home. Born Nov. 10, 1946, in Stoddard County, Mo., to the late Elvis Alfred and Emma Harvey Brown, she was a former resident of the Circle City community before moving to Texas 20 years ago...

SIKESTON -- Lois Blanche Hull, 82, was reunited with her husband, infant daughter and her Savior Jesus Christ in heaven early Sunday morning, January 6, 2013. She was born April 23, 1930, in Tarkio, to the late Ira Cornelius and J. Ann (Fox) Smith. On Feb. 25, 1950, she married C. Kenneth Hull, who preceded her in death on Sept. 1, 1993...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- When residents purchase a box of Girl Scout cookies, they aren't just buying a tasty treat. Through funds raised, they're helping local girls gain leadership experiences and skills they may not otherwise have the opportunity to do...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Engineers still have a few details to work out before submitting a plan to get more of Sikeston out of the floodplain. City Manager Doug Friend advised the Sikeston City Council during the regular monthly meeting Monday that portions of the city in the floodplain on new maps are "already significantly reduced just by them getting some new data."...