Stories from Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Today's America has become an "instant gratification" society. That singular fact is not even in dispute. Technology has driven much of that change but greed is the overall contributing factor. We want what we want and we want it now. The political atmosphere has, too, adopted this short-term approach. We fix today what needs fixing and we worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Or down the road. Or never...

For the last decade or more I have coached youth basketball. The thought of me having any influence over anyone under the age of 18 I'm sure is frightening to most and probably for good reason. First I love to win. If I was playing a game of checkers with a child on their death bed whose last wish was to feel the joys of victory I would try to crush them...

SIKESTON -- Mary E. Ralph McMullin, 58, of Sikeston went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, after an extended illness. She was born Dec. 26 1954, in Sikeston, to the late Bob and Rovina Roth Ralph. Mary enjoyed cooking, working in her yard and quilting. She was very outspoken about how proud she was of her children and that she treasured them and her grandchildren most...

DUDLEY -- Gerald Wayne Ratley, 66, died Jan. 7, 2013, at his home. Born Aug. 24, 1946, in Bonne Terre, son of Ramona Slover Ratley and the late Harold Dow Ratley, he was employed as a financial adviser for W.W. Wood. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and member of the First Baptist Church in Farmington...

SIKESTON -- Samuel Applewhite Sr., 78, died Jan. 7, 2013, at his home. Born March 15, 1934, in Kewanee, son of the late Albert and Elva Lott Applewhite, he was a lifelong resident of Missouri and was of the Baptist belief. On Dec. 25, 1959, he married Vella Larry Applewhite, who survives of the home...

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...

SIKESTON -- Howard Smith, 79, died Jan. 7, 2013, at his home in Sikeston from an extended illness. He was born Feb. 27, 1933, in Lilbourn, to the late Luther and Opal Turner Smith. He had worked for Sikeston Woodworking, had been the Water Plant Manager at Morehouse and recently retired from Sikeston Public Schools as a bus driver...

SIKESTON -- Billy Eugene "Bill" Lancaster, 83, died Jan. 6, 2013, at the 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...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Barry McCoy, 48, died Jan. 8, 2013, at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital. Born March 19, 1964, in Hayti, he was the son of Peggy Northern Frye of South Bend, Ind., and Billie Lee McCoy of Portageville. On April 6, 1991, in Hayward, he married Elizabeth Burton...

SIKESTON -- Aaron Yarber, 74, died Jan. 2, 2013, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Sept. 29, 1938, in Sikeston, to the late Robert and Lottie Green Yarber, he graduated from the Sikeston Public School System and was employed at People's Gas Co. in Chicago for over 30 years then worked for UPS for several years before becoming disabled. He was of the Baptist belief...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Elnora Rinehart, 80, died Jan. 8, 2013, at her home. Born April 21, 1932, in Portageville, she was the daughter of the late Rube and Glenda Gilmore Sutton. On Nov. 26, 1949, in New Madrid, she married Bob Rinehart, who survives of the home...

BELL CITY - Rodney Bradshaw, 45, died Jan. 7, 2013. Born July 15, 1967, in St. Louis, to the late Herbert W. and Mary Martha Green Bradshaw, he was a self-employed carpenter. On March 19, 2012, he married Karen Henson, who survives. Other survivors include: one son, Hunter Bradshaw of St. ...

BLOOMFIELD -- After fighting neck-and-neck through three quarters of play on Tuesday the Dexter Bearcats handed the Bloomfield Wildcats a 52-48 loss. The two teams went into the fourth quarter knotted up at 40-40 after playing within a point of each other in the first three quarters. It was in the final frame, however, that the Bearcats pulled ahead and outscored Bloomfield 12-8 for the win...

SIKESTON -- They'd like to forget about what happened in 2012. The good things, like winning the Oran Invitational Tournament for the fifth straight time, didn't outweigh the bad. The Scott County Central Braves lost 59-49 to Oak Ridge giving them their first loss to a Class 1 school since 2008. ...

CHARLESTON -- After taking over a week-long break since defending their seMissourian Christmas Tournament championship, Charleston was back on the hardwood Tuesday night against visiting New Madrid County Central. The Eagles hung tough despite several Bluejay runs midway through the game, but ultimately, it was Charleston that notched their 12th win of the season, 72-57...

SIKESTON -- With the number of flu cases up it is time to get down to some hand-washing. "Right now is the beginning of flu season and it goes through spring," said Karen Evans, a registered nurse in charge of communicable disease at the Scott County Health Department...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston R-6 Board of Education officially has a new member. James Gleason was sworn in by Board Secretary Bryan Nickell prior to Tuesday's regular Board of Education meeting. Gleason was appointed by the Board after board member Mike Marsh, who is moving out of the district, resigned last month. Gleason will serve the remainder of Marsh's three-year term, which expires in April 2014...

FREDERICKTOWN -- The Sikeston Bulldogs improved to 13-0 on the season with a 74-42 road victory over district foe Fredericktown on Tuesday. It was the Bulldogs' final test before an intriguing matchup against Class 3 power Maplewood-Richmond Heights on Friday at the Field House...

I'll admit it. I let it get the best of me sometimes. After it's all said and done, I honestly can't believe that it has such a hold on me. Whether it's good, or bad. It alters my mood. I let it expose my weaknesses and give it way more attention than it almost assuredly deserves...