Stories from Friday, August 24, 2007

SIKESTON -- Cora Lee Hood, 90, formerly of Caruthersville, died Aug. 20, 2007, in Sikeston. Born June 1, 1917, in Savannah, Tenn., to the late John Kenny and Ada Umphrey Ferrell, she had worked at Brown Shoe Company and was of the Baptist belief. She married John Hood who preceded her in death on Feb. 16, 1989...

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Ethel Gisi French, 81, formerly of Dexter, Mo., left this earth to be with her Heavenly Father on Aug. 21, 2007. She was born Feb. 19, 1926, in Essex, Mo., to Edmond and Iva (Morrison) Gisi. At Dexter, Ethel worked nine years as a seamstress, making Tom Sawyer boys apparel at the Elder Manufacturing Co. ...

MARSTON - Mohan M. Patel, 71, died Aug. 22, 2007, at his home in Marston. Born March 24, 1946 in Bharoda, India, he was the son of the late Mathurbhai and Kashieben Patel. Survivors include: two sons and daughters-in-laws, Chandra and Nalini Patel of Marston and Kuldip and Nisha Patel of Dubois, Pa.; one sister, Shardaben Patel of Schanburg, Ill.; and six grandchildren, Jasmine Patel, Reena Patel and Susmit Patel of Marston, and Susmita K. Patel, Zeel K. Patel and Shaan K. Patel of Dubois...

WILLS POINT, Texas - Anna Westpheling, 79, formerly of Dallas, died Aug. 22, 2007, at her home. Born June 1, 1928, in Fulton, Miss., daughter of the late Albert Anderson and Martha Ann Welch Clayton, she was raised in Matthews, Mo., where she graduated from Matthews High School. ...

SIKESTON - Bobby Dale Long, 72, died at 11:39 p.m. Aug. 22, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Aug. 4, 1935, in Portageville, to the late Ethel Beaird and John E. Long, he was previously employed as a truck driver for Hutter Oil Co. and was of the Baptist belief...

PERKINS -- Pauline Bumgardaner, 88, died Aug. 23, 2007, at St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

ST. ROBERTS -- Jeremy Lamarr Chambers, 26, died Aug. 18, 2007, at his father's home due to unexpected circumstances. Born July 23, 1981, in Fort Leonard Wood, son of Jerry Lee Chambers of St. Roberts and Carmen Chambers of Marston, he attended New Madrid County Central High School, was a member of Marston Kids' Beat, and had joined the Job Corps in St. ...

LILBOURN -- Nona Ann Farmer, 67, died Aug. 23, 2007, at her home. Born April 15, 1940, at Ridgeley, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late Vernon and Nonie Chessor. On Aug. 16, 1960, she married Bill Farmer who survives of the home. Other survivors include: one son, Timothy Allen Farmer of Lilbourn; two daughters, Mildred Ann Stanley and Martha Lee Farmer of New Madrid; four brothers, Johnnie Chessor of Union City, Tenn., Ralph Chessor of North Judson, Ind., and Clayton Chessor and Vernon Chessor of Bass Lake, Ind.; and six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.. ...

DEXTER - Anna Laura Vails, 85, died Aug. 23, 2007, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born May 27, 1922, in Corinth, Miss., to the late David and Lydia Newman Cox, she had lived in the Dexter and Essex area all her life. In 1986, she moved to Dexter and attended Vinson General Baptist Church near Essex...

SIKESTON - Steven Vermillion, 37, died Aug. 23, 2007. Arrangements are incomplete with Ponder Funeral Home of Sikeston.

DEXTER -- Kenneth Forkum Sr., 54, died Aug. 24, 2007, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

EAST PRAIRIE - Billy F. Smithson, 87, died at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 22, 2007, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Born Jan. 21, 1920, in Mississippi County, to the late Joseph Luther and Audie Ann Clapp Smithson, he lived in Mississippi County all his life, where he and his wife owned and operated Smithson Tax Service and Motor Sales and Used Furniture. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints in Sikeston...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for services conducted on Thursday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter, for Charles Taylor, who died Aug. 21, 2007, were: Kurt Kelley, Erik Kelley, Andy Kelley, Steve Taylor, Arlan Taylor and Darrel Pyle.

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston High School tennis team received two singles victories and added a doubles win Thursday, but was defeated by Poplar Bluff 6-3 during its home-opener. Jenni DeWitt and Danielle Ahlfield turned back both of their opponents in singles competition. DeWitt, at No. 1, shut out Morgan Allen 8-0 while Ahlfield, at No. 5, recorded an 8-3 decision over Jennie Hubbard...

SIKESTON -- After losing the overwhelming majority of its offense to graduation, the Sikeston High School boys soccer team enters the 2007 season with some questions and some experience. Coming off a 13-12-1 campaign in 2006 that saw the Bulldogs play Cape Girardeau Notre Dame for the district championship for the third consecutive year, Sikeston blossomed during the later stages of the season by winning eight of its last nine matches...

ORAN -- On a hot Thursday afternoon, it was hard to distinguish which was hotter -- the weather or the bats of the Oran High School softball team. Oran (2-0 overall) pounded out 11 hits against East Prairie, to pick up a 6-0 victory. The Eagles, led by pitcher Callie Kielhofner, proved to be too much for East Prairie. Kielhofner not only had a blazing pitching performance, but also was on fire at the plate as well...

SIKESTON -- Despite local corn growers having to replant more than half of their crop, it looks as though the local and state corn crop will fare well this year. Mike Geske, president of Missouri Corn Growers Association and a Matthews farmer, said farmers are just now getting started with the harvest...

BENTON -- Two Mississippi County residents were taken into custody Thursday following a late night vehicle stop on Wednesday night, that resulted in the seizure of a rolling meth lab. The names of the suspects are being withheld pending filing of formal charges, according to a Thursday news release from Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter...

BENTON -- Scott County commissioners will attempt to be paid for the upkeep work done by the county in the Forrest Hills Memorial Cemetery in Morley. During the commission's regular meeting on Thursday, Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn broached the idea of asking Joel Evans, county developer, to file a lien on the cemetery...

I live on a little dead end street. It's very quiet and there are decent people that live here. But we have one little sour apple in our bunch that has Miner PD out on our road, in our little neighborhood, at least four to five days out of a week. If this Mine officer can make so many stops at one person's house, how come these people are never, ever arrested and put in jail or permanently kicked out?...

SIKESTON - Coaches Lou Bona and Dean Owen of the Sikeston High School Bulldogs began football practice sessions yesterday and 50 reported for the squad the first day. --- SIKESTON - Mrs. Ralph Bailey Jr. entertained with a surprise birthday party Friday in honor of her daughter, Brenda's eighth birthday...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is enforcing its burning laws within the city limits of Sikeston. There will be no agricultural or ceremonial permits issued due to the extreme dry conditions. Brush, grass, and other vegetation is extremely dry due to the lack of rain and high heat...

ORAN -- An Oran man was injured Thursday in an ATV accident north of Oran. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the accident occurred at 8:37 p.m. two miles north of Oran. Craig S. Hess, 34, was traveling north on County Road 265, when he lost control of his ATV, ran off the road and overturned...

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County's new software for the Sheriff's Department and Detention Center is too much for the county's old server. County commissioners approved the purchase of a new server for the county's law enforcement facility during their regular meeting Thursday...

SIKESTON - Whether it is a place for the community to gather for a concert or a celebration or where youngsters can test their athletic skills, parks are a good for Sikeston said Monique Rice. Rice, who was the guest speaker for the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce noon luncheon Thursday, sought the public's support for current parks and others that are in the planning stages...