Stories from Tuesday, September 18, 2012

sports@standard-democrat.com BLOOMFIELD -- After dropping three-straight matches last week, Sikeston head coach Steve Beydler decided to switch the Lady Bulldogs' lineup around in hopes of improving his team's play. For at least one night, the Lady Bulldogs saw an improved performance on the floor as they overcame a first set loss to beat the Bloomfield Lady Wildcats on Monday, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston girls tennis team lost 8-1 to visiting Notre Dame Monday at Sikeston High School. Kelsey Dial scored the only win for the Lady Bulldogs in singles play after Notre Dame decided to retire the match after Notre Dame's Carly Hopkins was ahead 2-1...

DEXTER -- James E. Jones, 79, died Sept. 16, 2012, at his home. Born Jan. 9, 1933, in Springfield, to the late Eugene and Sue DeGrant Jones, he was a retired supervisor at the Division of Family Services in Bloomfield. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served in the Korean War, and a member of the Faith Lutheran Church in Dexter...

MOREHOUSE -- Avery Odell Woodson, 89, died Sept. 14, 2012, at his home. Born June 13, 1923, in Parma, to the late Thomas S. Annie Laura (Barnes) Woodson, he worked in the maintenance department of Ball State University Indiana before retiring. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Sibyl, Mildred and Gay...

DEXTER -- Clorine Shipman, 89, departed this life on Sept. 17, 2012, in the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born on Aug. 25, 1923, in Powe, daughter of the late Bill and Lucy Livingston Williams, she was a housewife, affiliated with the Church of Christ and a resident of Dexter...

MOREHOUSE -- Tammy Jean Squires, 41, died Sept. 16, 2012, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Dec. 26, 1970, in Sikeston, to Richard Curtis of Matthews and Beverly Sutton of Morehouse, she was a homemaker and member of the Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Brian Ray Morgan, 38, died at 5:57 a.m. Sept. 15, 2012, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Born March 12, 1974, in Sikeston, Mo., son of the late Craig and Bonnie Owens Morgan, he was a farm manager with DeLine Farms in Southeast Missouri. He was a 1993 graduate of Meridian High School in Mounds and was of the Baptist belief...

BENTON -- Mary Pauline Pulliam, 72, died Sept. 16, 2012, at her home. Born Feb. 11, 1940, in Illmo, to the late George Nathan and Stella Mae Holder Dodson, she was a member of New Life Gospel Center in Scott City. On Oct. 11, 1958, in Illmo, she married Norman Ray Pulliam who preceded her in death on Oct.18, 2009...

WAPPAPELLO -- C. Parker "Punch" Bennett, 80, of Wappapello died Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, at the Heritage Gardens of Senath. Mr. Bennett was born July 22, 1932, in Greenville. He was baptized in the Baptist belief and for many years attended the Christian Church. ...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldogs junior varsity football team scored 14 unanswered points in the last 9:31 to overcome the visiting Farmington Knights 28-14 Monday at Sikeston Public School Stadium. The Bulldogs (3-0) quickly took control of the game in the first quarter when Ray Council touched the end zone after a 9-yard run...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- U.S. school children have the most balanced meal choices ever offered this school year. Now it's up to them -- and their parents -- to make the healthy choices. Schools across the nation are implementing new U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition standards -- the biggest update to federal standards in 15 years...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- One very important guest the Sikeston Department of Public Safety hoped to have present for the grand opening of the new DPS headquarters will not be attending but will certainly be there in spirit. Chief Kenneth A. Francis, former director of the Sikeston DPS, died Friday at age 66 surrounded by his wife, Patty Francis, and other loved ones, according city officials of Gardner, Kan...

An officer with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety checks out the damage to a pickup truck after a three-vehicle collision on Ables Road at around 6 p.m. Monday. No major injuries were initially reported at press time.