Stories from Sunday, January 1, 2012

It's always a lesson in futility to look back over the past year and provide some community assessment based on the year's headlines. But newspaper columnists do it anyway. History won't judge 2011 as a banner year nor a dismal year for our community. But then again, it depends greatly on your personal perspective to make that judgment...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Carolyn Ann Stidham-Knotts, 64, died Dec. 29, 2011, at her home. Born Jan. 12, 1947, in Maraduke, Ark., to Gean Abraham Knotts of Chaffee and the late Ervin Herman, she attended the Church of God in Chaffee and was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of Chaffee V.F.W. Post No. 3127...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Virginia Pauline Ward, 92, died Dec. 29, 2011, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Feb. 12, 1919, in Cotton Wood Point, to the late Samuel Felix and Maude Abbott Cook, she was a past member of the Hayward Methodist Church...

PORTAGEVILLE -- James Edward Walker, 56, died Dec. 29, 2011, at Portageville. Born July 12, 1955, in Steele, he was the son of the late Willie Mae Prichett and John Walker. Survivors include: one son, James Edward Spence of Detroit; three daughters, Halona Daniels of Portageville and Tinisha Spence and Tocarra Spence of Detroit; two brothers, William Walker and Jimmy Walker of Portageville; four sisters, Mary Walker of Florida, Bertha Walker and Jannie Walker of Cape Girardeau and Bobby Boyd of Portageville; and nine grandchildren.. ...