Stories from Tuesday, August 13, 2019

TERRE DU LAC, Mo. — William Franklin "Frank" Payne, 73, died Aug. 9, 2019, at Mercy Hospital in Festus. Born May 27, 1946, in Sikeston, son of the late Mitchell and Della Rodgers Payne, he was a 1964 graduate of Sikeston High School. He graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in accounting. After serving in the U.S. Army, he practiced as a certified public accountant until his death...

IRONTON, Mo. — Walter Pate "Chick" King Sr., 79, died Aug. 11, 2019, at the home of his daughter in Ironton. Born June 27, 1940, in Dell, Ark., son of the late Homer Lee and Blanche (Pate) King, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army and had owned and operated West Coast Combine before retiring...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Robert “Robbie” Oliver Leffler, 56, died Aug. 12, 2019. Born Dec. 12, 1962, in Sikeston, son of Ruth Ann Wicker Leffler Dooley of Charleston and the late Oliver John “O.J.” Leffler, he was a 1981 graduate of Charleston High School and had attended the First Assembly of God Church in Charleston...

SIKESTON — Kids of all ages will have the opportunity to touch, climb, explore and learn about big trucks, fast cars, emergency vehicles and more Saturday in Sikeston. The Touch-A-Truck event, put together by the YMCA of Southeast Missouri and Sikeston Parks and Recreation, is a free event that will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sikeston Recreation Complex...

SIKESTON — The City of Sikeston is in the process of preparing for their annual Boards & Commissions appointments.  Currently there are 31 positions available on 13 different boards. Some terms are up for reappointment and others have expiring terms. Boards include:  Board of Appeals, Board of Municipal Utilities, PAWS (Friends of the Animal Shelter) Advisory Board, Housing Authority (Residential Liaison), Park Board, Public Safety Advisory Board, and SEMO University Advisory Council. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. - It is a dangerous job. Everyday firefighters risk their lives to help others. Now a community is coming together to help a firefighter who has dedicated years of services to keeping them safe. From 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church’s recreation hall, the United Methodist Men will host a ham and bean benefit dinner for Jimmy Harris. Harris, the town’s fire chief, is now battling cancer...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Beverly Ann “Bev” Farris, 65, died Aug. 7, 2019, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Nov. 23, 1953, in Charleston, daughter of the late Sam Weems and Mattie Cooper, she was a 1971 graduate of Charleston High School in Charleston, she was a member of Liberty Baptist Church in Evansville, Ind., and Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Wyatt...

HAYWOOD CITY, Mo. — Jimmy Brown, 71, died Aug. 10, 2019, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 11, 1943, in Philadelphia, Miss., son of the late Henry and Daisy Campbell Brown, he was of the Christian belief and had attended Greers Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. He was a farm laborer until he became self-employed in the recycling business...