Stories from Monday, December 9, 2002

MARSTON - Ava Ellen Savat and Buddy Newsom are the parents of their second son, born Nov. 19, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Buddy Wayne Savat Newsom weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 18 3/4-inches long. Maternal grandparents are Raymond Louis Savat, Elisa Savat and Sally Harris...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulldogs basketball team evened its record at 2-2 with a 65-57 win against the DeSoto Dragons on Saturday night at the Field House. The Bulldogs, coming off an emotional 68-67 win against Dexter on Friday night, started slow against DeSoto but bounced back with strong second and third quarters to hold off the Dragons...

The First Baptist Church handbell ringers practiced Sunday night to prepare for Thursday's opening night of the 19th Annual Living Christmas Tree. "Christmas Is Jesus." will be preformed through Saturday starting at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, a 4 p.m. performance will be held...

SIKESTON - While women view Christmas shopping as an enjoyable activity, the mere thought fills some of their male counterparts with stress and angst. The reason? As a rule, women shop. Men buy. Most women carefully plan their purchases, extending their shopping over a period of time, while many men wait until the last moment and end up choosing whatever happens to be on display that day. Not the best strategy for getting the right gift...

Nova Mays autographs her cookbook Saturday during the Book Bug's "Holiday Author Signing." Five authors were at the store to sign copies of their books. Mays of Parma is the author of "Let's Go To Granny's" cookbook.

Visitors tour the home of Troy and Elizabeth Wilson Sunday during the Sikeston Depot's "Home Tours." Several hundred people took part in the tour of five homes in Sikeston.

I read the SpeakOut about the East Prairie boys and girls basketball teams. I agree with this comment. I don't have any kids in school, but if that is happening, it is discrimination against the girls and that is very, very wrong and somebody should make it right. It should be 50-50, the boys half the time and the girls the other half...

Although Sikeston's staggering number of welfare programs (and welfare recipients) is a major factor in the general decline of our once proud and prosperous community, another significant factor is the growing loss of confidence in our public school system. ...

SIKESTON - Dear Santa: I want you to bring me a navy and a machine gun, shovel, truck, football game, book, airplane and anything else. Your little friend, Charles Layton. SIKESTON - The Sikeston Community Choir will present its third annual Christmas Concert in the First Methodist Church on Sunday afternoon Dec. ...

DEXTER - Chessie Radke, 96, died Dec. 8, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

CHAFFEE - Charles Judson Varble, 83, died at 5:10 a.m. Dec. 7, 2002, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born May 26, 1919, in Chaffee, son of the late Alfred Poe and Fannie Bell Jones Varble, he retired as a clerk for General Services Administration in St. Louis. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was a member of the First Baptist Church and VFW Post 3127 in Chaffee...

CALVERT CITY, Ky. - Norma Ivadell Northcutt, 92, formerly of the Big Opening community near Matthews, Mo., died Dec. 9, 2002, at the Calvert City Convalescent Center. Born Aug. 5, 1910, in Cerro Gordo, Tenn., daughter of the late Chesley and Laura Owen Alexander, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Calvert City...

COMMERCE - Alma "Tommie" Pollock, 92, died Dec. 7, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born March 1, 1910, in Obion, Tenn., daughter of the late Charles William and Elizabeth Tyler Upchurch, she was a member of the Commerce Baptist Church...

SIKESTON - Addie Mae Jones, 91, died at 3:20 p.m. Dec. 7, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born April 28, 1911, in Barlow, Ky., daughter of the late George Washington and Mary Edna Blanks Jones, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Sikeston. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - John Dwight Uptain, 80, formerly of Oran, died Dec. 7, 2002, at the Lutheran Home. Born Feb. 22, 1922, in Clarksville, Ark., son of the late John Wesley and Martha Isabell Boen Uptain, he was a sergeant with the U.S. Army during World War II. ...

SIKESTON - Sarah E. Chesmore, 61, died at 4:40 a.m. Dec. 7, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Dec. 29, 1940, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of the late John and Helen Davis Britt, she had been a food service worker for Sikeston Public Schools and attended Beulah Land Fellowship Church in Sikeston...

SPRINGFIELD - Walter Kinnard "Kin" Dillon, 82, formerly of Morehouse and Cape Girardeau, died Dec. 4, 2002, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Born Aug. 17, 1920, in Morehouse, son of William H. and Melissa B. Kinnard Dillon, he attended Morehouse Grade School, Sikeston High School, Southeast Missouri State University and Parks Air College. ...

SIKESTON - Melba Marie Irwin, 71, died at 1 p.m. Dec. 8, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Jan. 12, 1931, in St. Louis, daughter of the late Edward Carl and Edna Junge Kuhlmann, she had been a baker for Jay's Fried Chicken and was a waitress at the Holiday Inn, Kellets, Gaslight Square and IGA before retiring. She was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston...