Stories from Monday, October 21, 2002

MATTHEWS - Ruby Loutene Brothers, 72, died at 3:45 p.m. Oct. 20, 2002, at the Bertrand Nursing Facility. Born July 22, 1930, in Vernon, Ala., daughter of the late William S. and Lunie G. Woods White, she was of the Pentecostal belief. On Nov. 11, 1961, in Charleston, she married Cletus R. Brothers who preceded her in death on March 17, 1995...

HAYWARD - Mary E. "Peggy" Ward died Oct. 21, 2002, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville.

TROY, Mo. - David Robert Ward, son of Kendall and Jennifer Ward, died at birth Oct. 20, 2002, at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Mary A. Blankenship Nelson, 84, died Oct. 8, 2002, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 28, 1917, on an island in the Ohio River in Livingston County, Ky., she was the daughter of the late James Allen and Lura Marie Walton Blankenship. ...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Harly Vails Sr., 87, who died Oct. 17, 2002, were: Brent Burleson, Walter Strickland, Luther George, Chester Hill, Glen Hueckel and Randy Manes.

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Gary Tennyson, 38, who died Oct. 15, 2002, were: Rodger Landon, Don VanBerger, Chase Slavens, Jim Moore, Sam Phillips and Bud Yates. Honorary pallbearers were: Bill Nash and Jerry McGowen...

SIKESTON - From somewhere in England, where he is stationed as an Army Air Force bombardier, Staff Sgt. Ralph Carroll writes his mother that there are "Lots of historical places to keep your mind busy." SIKESTON - Five carrier boys of the Daily Sikeston Standard received awards for outstanding performance of their duties during the last year at a carriers' outing at the Shelter House in City Park. ...

I'm calling about the Oct. 7 SpeakOut about the child at Middle School who has been eating peanut butter sandwiches because the mother didn't pay last year's lunch bill. If you will put in the paper how much she owes, I will pay it. I wrote the school board a letter in May regarding my son going to district competition, asking for reimbursement for travel and room since no one from the school saw about him going. ...

It looks like another war with Iraq is inevitable and we have another Bush in charge, and that frightens me. With Saddam Hussein, this is a Bush Family war - like father, like son. George Bush Senior executed the greatest military blunder in our history in his war with Iraq. Maybe his son will do better...

SIKESTON - Missouri Delta Medical Center's new service for the community, the Hospitalist Program, is "getting rave reviews," according to Sharon Urhahn, director of marketing for Missouri Delta Medical Center. MDMC's Hospitalist Program began Aug. 1 with the hiring of Dr. Farzin Foruhari, who specializes in both internal medicine and pediatrics...

NEW MADRID - Youngsters weren't the only ones heading back to class this fall. Senior citizens are returning to the classrooms, taking seats opposite computer screens as they tackle 21st century technology. Ten senior citizens at New Madrid County R-1 Technical Skills Center just completed a six-week class on basic computers. Charleston Public Schools also is offering an adult computer class this semester...

MILLERSVILLE - Terry Allen and Ashley Carol Drum are the parents of their second son, born at 7:39 a.m. Sept. 18, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Landon Neal Drum weighed 5 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces and was 19 1/2-inches long. The former Ashley Thrower, Mrs. Drum is the daughter of Julie Ann Thrower of Sikeston and Tyke and Beth Thrower of Jackson...