Stories from Thursday, June 19, 2003

SIKESTON - Jimmy Keasler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Keasler, celebrated his ninth birthday Thursday afternoon by inviting a group of friends to a swim party. After the party, he took them to his home for refreshments. PARMA - Parma citizens and many from adjacent communities will join in the dedication of the Parma Post Office Sunday...

Cape Girardeau city officials have hired a $30,000 lobbyist to promote a new route proposal for Interstate 66 that would bring the super-highway through southern Illinois, across the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge and completely bypass Sikeston, Charleston, Dexter, Poplar Bluff, etc. ...

The president of Southeast Missouri State University has been quoted as whining and crying about the cuts in the funding, which probably are justifiable. But how do they justify spending multi-million-dollars on the campus where St. Vincent's used to be. In addition to that, they're spending so many millions to buy property. If they don't have enough money to operate the school, why do they need more facilities?...

NEW MADRID - Viola S. Davis, 88, died June 17, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Richards Funeral Home.

NEW MADRID - Norma Jean Richards, 56, died June 15, 2003, at Beverly Healthcare in New Madrid. Arrangements are incomplete at Richards Funeral Home.

PARMA - Pallbearers at services conducted Wednesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Jessie Burton Chalk, 85, who died June 14, 2003, were: Randall Ramsey, Danny Biggs, Doyle Crews, Ted Morgan, Kevin Blume and Tom Fralick.

ADVANCE - Bobbie LeRoy Berrong, 71, died June 18, 2003, at his home. Born Oct. 10, 1931, at Arab, son of the late Odis ad Stella Walker Berrong, he had worked on the family farm before moving to Advance. He then worked on the Jerry and Linda Eggiman Farm until retiring. Berrong attended the Advance United Methodist Church, where he was a caretaker...

SIKESTON - Opal Louise White, 80, died June 18, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born May 5, 1923, in Parma, daughter of the late Clement Edward and Velva McCane Summerlott, she attended Fellowship Baptist Church and had formerly attended Tanner Street Church of God. She worked for Canvass Products Manufacturing Co. for 20 years, where she was an assistant foreman and supervisor on the sewing line...

BERNIE - Genivea Jackson, 76, died June 18, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Dec. 29, 1926, at Parma, daughter of the late Jacob L. and Edna Grubbs Williamson, she retired from the Brown Shoe Company in Bernie. On Feb. 14, 1957, at Hernando, Miss., she married Dennis Jackson who preceded her in death on June 3, 2002...

SIKESTON - The Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association recently released the high school all-state baseball teams. Sikeston High School, which went 23-2 this year, had two players selected to the first team in Class 3. Juniors Blake DeWitt and Jacob Priday were both selected for the prestigious honor...

SIKESTON -- Rita J. Tellow and James D. Henson exchanged wedding vows in a Jan. 4, 2003, ceremony at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church before the Rev. Stephen Schneider. The bride is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. R.J. Tellow of Sikeston and her husband is the son of George and Debbie Henson of Scott City...

Combs PARMA - Shantelle Denae Combs is the mother of her second child, first son, born May 16, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Darion Dontae Combs weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 19-inches long. Combs, daughter of Susan Tillman and Hartlee Tillman, is employed by Tyson Foods...

SIKESTON - Sikeston High School basketball player Lawrence Davis signed a letter of intent on Wednesday to play for Missouri Baptist. Davis, who started every game in his final two years with the Bulldogs, averaged six points, four rebounds and three assists per game for Sikeston's 13-13 team this past season...

JEFFERSON CITY - The Sikeston Junior Legion Auxiliary Unit 114 baseball team took first place in the Exchange Bank Classic held in Jefferson City over the weekend. Sikeston (14-5) lost in the first round to Jefferson City 7-5, but came back to win the next two games to capture first place in the six-team round robin...

Sikeston Little Theatre cast members rehearse for their upcoming musical of "Wagon Wheels West." The production is today through Saturday starting at 7 p.m. with a matinee on Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Albritton-Mayer Center for the Arts each night of the performance only. The 50 member cast ranges from third to 11th grades and represents Sikeston, Charleston, Bloomfield, New Madrid, Dexter as well as other communities in the Bootheel...

LILBOURN - It isn't just young people who complain there's nothing to do. Even adults sometimes find themselves wondering how they can keep occupied. And in small towns, said Barbara Nimmo, it can be an even greater problem. "Especially for senior citizens, what do they have to do?" she asked...

Jeff Archie, an employee of the Sikeston Public Works Parks Division, spreads mulch around the horseshoe pits at the Sikeston Sports Complex. The city is preparing the pits for the Corporate Games Horseshoe Tournament which starts today.

JEFFERSON CITY - Members of both sides of the aisle were shocked and understanding when former Representative Denny Merideth of the 162nd district resigned on June 10 in order to pursue a position with the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service office...

RISCO -- The Rev. Marty and Sharon Carlisle have announced the engagement of their daughter, Amanda Leighann, to Pfc. Austin Byron Campbell, son of Alan Campbell of Holcomb and Melinda Heaton of Sikeston. Carlisle is a 2003 graduate of Risco High School...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Mr. and Mrs. Donald Joseph Hillenmeyer Jr. of Nashville and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wallace Carter of Charleston, Mo., have announced the engagement of their daughter, Madeline Kirkland Carter of Nashville, to William McClellan Carter of Tullahoma, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tony Carter of Tullahoma...