Stories from Sunday, March 14, 2004

ANNISTON - John Tatum, 89, died at 9:15 a.m. March 12, 2004, at St. Louis University Hospital. Born Aug. 27, 1914, at Anniston, son of the late Paul and Ethel Krauss Tatum, he was a retired farmer and member of the Full Gospel Church in East Prairie...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Pearl Jackson, 84, died March 11, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Born Dec. 16, 1919, in Greenbrier, she was the daughter of the late Harrison and Dorothy Swick Cato. On Dec. 21, 1938, at Marble Hill, she married Leland "Jack" Jackson who survives of the home...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Shane M. Halter, 25, formerly of Oran, died March 12, 2004, at St. Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.

BERTRAND - Reba A. Laster McClure, 72, died at 6:05 a.m. March 13, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

HERMONDALE - Joseph Johnson, 61, died March 7, 2004, at the Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Born July 12, 1942, in Hermondale, son of the late Annie Mae Hughes, he was owner and operator of a Barber shop for many years. His wife, Elizabeth Johnson, survives...

FREDERICKTOWN - Lillie Marie Miller, 79, died March 1, 2004, at the Stockhoff Nursing Home in Fredericktown. Born March 9, 1925, in Fredericktown, she was the daughter of the late Albert and Rosia Weiman. She was also preceded in death by one son, Pfc. William D Wright; one daughter, Denise Miller; and one granddaughter...

SCOTT CITY - Helen Ree Tharp, 90, died March 11, 2004, at St. Joseph Manor in Bonne Terre. Born Nov. 18, 1913, in Diehlstadt, daughter of the late William Harvey and Stella M. Jennings Griffith, she had worked as a seamstress for Ely Walker Clothing Factory in Scott City. She was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Scott City...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Doris A. Griffin, 64, who died March 8, 2004, were: Loan Griffin, Mark Griffin, Randall Griffin,, William Griffin, Roberto Julio and John Sifford.

SIKESTON - Dee Bailey, 74, died March 13, 2004, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

SIKESTON -- With a chill in the air, Rachael Vining walks outside donning her letter jacket, with letter patches from volleyball and track covering seemingly every inch of available space. She, like millions of other high school students, is active in more than one sport...

COLUMBIA - It was the Dexter Bearcats' first ever final four appearance, but they were greeted harshly in Columbia by the nationally ranked Vashon Wolverines, falling 79-30 in Friday's Class 4 semifinal game. The undefeated Wolverines (30-0) came into the game as overwhelming favorites to win the state crown and they put on a show before the Hearnes Center crowd...

SIKESTON - It wasn't the first electric guitar, or even the first solid body electric guitar. It wasn't even the first guitar Leo Fender designed and produced for the market. But it is the first one people usually picture when they think of electric guitars, and area musicians are joining guitarists around the globe in celebrating a half century of Fender Stratocasters...

The Kenny Rogers Children's Center's annual telethon continues today as it raises funds to support its efforts to provide therapy to children in the Bootheel. The event, which kick-offed Saturday, includes entertainment and interviews with the children who are provided services. Pledges can be made by calling 471-9900 or 1-877-472-0397...

SIKESTON -- Four-year-old Lakeynn Huffman didn't stop, drop and roll last month when her home caught on fire, but she didn't have to. In fact, Lakeynn and her older brother, Cody, 7, took a proactive approach to the dangerous situation. Around 7:45 a.m. Feb. 11, Cody smelled smoke from the upstairs level of his grandparents' home on Gladys Street in Sikeston. He immediately told his grandmother, Ella Huffman, who then directed Cody and Lakeynn to get out of the house...

Good Gov. Bob Holden is mulling the challenge to debate State Auditor Claire McCaskill in July prior to the August primary. McCaskill has said she wants a series of debates throughout the state to point out differences between the incumbent Governor and herself. But Holden knows he's vulnerable and his debating skills leave much to be desired. So I suspect the debates will be highly restrictive and few in number if they are held at all...

SIKESTON - Lt. Harold Nus, Army Air Force fighter pilot, who was recently seriously wounded in action against the enemy in the South Pacific area, has returned to the United States, according to word received the first of this week by his wife, who lives with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.O. Botter...

I was at a funeral last week in Morehouse and when I went to sign the guest book I noticed someone's name had been marked out and changed. That was a very bad thing they did and whoever did it is a sorry person. I would like to apologize to the lady they did it to...