Stories from Thursday, March 21, 2013

SIKESTON - Donna Jo Kopp Gaskill, 85, died March 16, 2013, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Formerly of Cooperton and Frederick, Okla., she has resided in Sikeston since 2006. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Harold Gaskill; brother, Wesley Kopp; and granddaughter, Meagan Hardy...

BELL CITY -- Raymond W. Bollinger, 82, of Bell City, passed away March 19, 2013, at Hunter Acres in Sikeston. Born Feb. 20, 1931, in Bell City, son of the late Eugene and Stella Winemiller Bollinger, Raymond drove a truck for Robert Driskell Lime Co. and David Jo Eakins Lime Co. He loved bluegrass music and the Arrowhead Campground...

BLOOMFIELD -- Judy Marie Whaley Franklin, 62, died March 19, 2013, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Sept. 7, 1950, in Piggott, Ark., to the late Joy Winston Whaley and Sylvia Sutton Whaley, she was a longtime resident of Bloomfield...

MATTHEWS -- William Franklin Evans, 60, died March 21, 2013, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete with Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

BENTON -- Morris Hale, 71, died March 20, 2013, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete with Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel of Benton.

SIKESTON -- William Harrison Waltrip, 93, died March 20, 2013, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

PARMA -- Norman Matthew Ludwig, son of the late Elmer C. and Maudie Schrader Ludwig, was born in Risco on July 5, 1942, and passed away at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau on March 19, 2013, at the age of 70 years, 8 months and 14 days...

DEXTER -- Lucille White, 99, formerly of Marston, died March 19, 2013, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Born April 16, 1913, in Shurm, Ark., daughter of the late William Campbell Starr and Clara Rebecca McCarroll Starr, she was a homemaker. A member of the First United Methodist Church in Dexter, she had been very active in the Marston Methodist Church, the Marston Senior Citizens Center and various civic organizations in Marston...

NEW MADRID -- Opal Lee Holt, 83, died March 15, 2013, at her home. Born Sept. 6, 1929, at Netherlands, to the late Willie and Leoda Boshears Armer, she was of the Pentecostal belief. She married Granville Holt in Wyatt. He preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by one daughter, Mary M. Adkins, three brothers and one sister, and two grandsons, Travis Elkins and Josh Taylor...

sports@standard-democrat.com POPLAR BLUFF -- The 55th annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Basketball Banquet was held on Wednesday to honor the All-SEMO Conference basketball teams. Topping the list this year was Sikeston senior Vashawn Ruffin, who was presented with the John Gibbs Award for the most outstanding boys basketball player in the SEMO Conference. ...

sports@standard-democrat.com RISCO -- This past week the Tri-County Conference announced it's varsity all-conference teams with several Risco players making the cut. Junior Jordon Pavy was the lone Tiger to be selected first-team all-conference while senior Austin White received second-team honors. Among those receiving honorable mentions were Risco senior Caleb McCord and junior Brandon Bixler...

sports@standard-democrat.com POPLAR BLUFF -- It's a load off Alex Heuring's mind. Going into a new season -- his final one -- the Oran catcher has sured up his college destination, limiting the pressures of having to perform in front of college scouts and can focus solely on his senior campaign...

NEW MADRID - The 2013 theme of the New Madrid Chamber of Commerce annual banquet - Together We're Going Places! - couldn't sum up better the future of the community, according to the guest speaker. Chad Eggen, assistant city manager for New Madrid, spoke to local business owners, leaders and others about improvements and activities ahead for the community...

Oran senior catcher Alex Heuring signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Three Rivers College, limiting the pressure of having to perform in front of college scouts. See the full story in today's sports section!

BENTON -- A Sikeston man is in custody following a sex crime investigation. According to Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter, Bibiano Sarmiento-Merino, 28, has been charged with one count of sexual misconduct in the first degree, and one count of child molestation in the second degree...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Several groups in Sikeston have organized various Easter-themed events for the whole family this weekend and next. For starters, on Saturday Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores is hosting "Meet the Easter Bunny" from noon to 3 p.m. at building space No. 28 next to Carter's...