Stories from Tuesday, March 5, 2019

DALLAS, Texas — Walter Alvin “Walt” Schuerenberg, 87, died Feb. 23, 2019, at his home in Garland. Born May 5, 1931, in Kewanee, Mo., son of the late Charles Godfrey and Mary Belle Schuerenberg, he grew up on a farm and after graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. ...

SIKESTON — Ronnie Gale Elliott, 80, died March 3, 2019, at Westfield Nursing Center near Sikeston.  Born July 1, 1938, in Bragg City, son of the late Theodore and Drace (Waddell) Elliott, he had been a resident of Sikeston since 1962 and had previously lived at Kennett. He was a member of Miner Baptist Church, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and had been self-employed in construction and excavating. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Billy Bob Todd Jr., 39, formerly of New Madrid, died Feb. 23, 2019, in Portageville. Born March 8, 1979, in Washington, Mo., he was the son of the late Essie Bowers and Bob Todd. Survivors include: Heather White of Perryville; and one daughter, Breanna White of Perryville...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Irene Louise Reed Taylor, 85, formerly of Sikeston, died Feb. 1, 2019, at her daughter’s home in Kansas City. She was the daughter of the late Nina and William Reed and the fifth of 17 children. Her husband, James “Red” Taylor Sr., preceded her in death...

CHICAGO, Ill. — Quintella Louise Davis, 91, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died March 1, 2019, at her home. Born Oct. 22, 1927, in Paducah, Ky., daughter of the late Bennie Dawson and Dorothy Cousins Bacon, she was a member of Opportunity Church of God in Christ in Charleston, where she served on the hospitality committee and was a retired home health aide...

Jimmy Sander flips pancakes at the Sikeston Kiwanis Club’s annual Pancake Day held Tuesday at the Elks Lodge.

SIKESTON, Mo. — The new Southeast Missouri State University Autism Center for Diagnosis and Treatment at Southeast’s Sikeston Campus will hold a ribbon cutting and open house from 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday at the regional campus at 2401 N. Main in Sikeston, Missouri...

SIKESTON — After 30 years of service to the Missouri Department of Conservation, Leother Branch Jr. has retired as a conservation agent for Scott County. Throughout the years, Branch, who officially retired Feb. 28, has enforced laws related to commercial and pleasure fishing, poaching, outdoor recreation and environmental infraction. ...

ERIE, Pa.—In a sure sign that spring is not far behind, the first Purple Martins of the year have been spotted in The Show-Me State. The birds were seen on Feb. 26 in the tiny southeastern Missouri town of Matthews by a Purple Martin enthusiast – one of many people throughout the eastern and central United States who track and report on the birds’ annual migration on behalf of the Purple Martin Conservation Association...

SIKESTON — A concert featuring “The Voice” contestants including Sikeston native Anna Catherine DeHart and a You Tube sensation father-daughter duo will take place during the upcoming Kenny Rogers Children’s Center Telethon. “We are really excited about the concert,” said Christy O’Neal, marketing and development coordinator for the Center...

Claire Hamlin, daughter of Terry and Kristy Hamlin, is the Standard Democrat’s March Calendar Girl. Hamlin, second runner-up in the 2018 Miss Sikeston Contest, plans to attend the University of Missouri in Columbia and major in magazine journalism and minor in psychology...

SIKESTON — A longtime Sikeston retail store will be closing its doors this summer. JCPenney, located at 1215 S. Main St. in the South Point Center shopping strip, will close with an effective closing date of July 5. Carter English, of corporate communications and public relations with JC Penney, said closing the Sikeston store was a result of an ongoing review of their store portfolio, which includes assessing locations that may not meet the required financial targets or represent an opportunity to capitalize on a beneficial real estate asset.. ...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Doris Jean Dixon, 68, died March 1, 2019, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Aug. 19, 1950, in Charleston, daughter of the late Earl and Rosie Lee Allen Farmer, she attended Charleston Public Schools in Charleston and Vocational-Technical School for Culinary Arts. A member of St. Matthews Full Gospel Missionary Baptist Church in Charleston, she was employed as a chef at The Sands, Chef's Gallery and Ramada Inn...