Stories from Tuesday, March 12, 2002

SIKESTON - Gordon and Debbie Waller and Jim Isbell of Williamsville have announced the engagement of their daughter, Rhonda Kay Shelton, to Timothy Sean Mitchell, son of Bill and Mary Mitchell of Sikeston. A 1988 graduate of Malden High School, the future bride graduated in 1990 from Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff and attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. She is a nail technician for Shear Perfection...

The Rev. Larry Rice is an outspoken advocate for the homeless in Missouri and a political gadfly of sorts. Rice runs the New Life Evangelistic Center in St. Louis which is among the leading homeless advocates in the state. And in many ways, Rice is a thorn in the side of political leaders...

I found a high school ring on the Wal-Mart parking lot on March 7. The shows a home school, has a blue stone and shows a graduation date of 2003. The name is on the ring. The first name begins with H. and the middle name with an A. I can't read the last name well because the ring is damaged but it looks like "Rhody." Please call me at 472-4196 after 3:30 p.m. and tell me your first and middle name. I will be glad to return the ring to you...

MOREHOUSE - A four-room house near here was lifted off its foundation by a tornado Friday night and set down 75 yards away. The house, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thompson, is located six miles northeast of town. SIKESTON - Mrs. A.L. Allen's son, Joel, spoke to Brownie Troop 27 Thursday. The topic was Jewish religious rites, holy days and customers...

Acting mean, portraying Superman and being a super model (pictured) were just some of the expressions 80 children had to do during the auditions for "Treasure Island" Monday afternoon at the Sikeston Middle School. The Missoula Children's Theatre play "Treasure Island" will be held Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m. at the Sikeston Field House...

SIKESTON - The new community building at the Sikeston Sports Complex is not quite ready - but the people sure are. "We've already been getting phone calls on it," said Tom Bridger, public works director. "The city's never had a facility like this. We're excited about the building."...

ARAB - Richard "Toby" Walker, 57, died March 10, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Dec. 22, 1944, in Zalma, son of the late William and Margaret Oliver Walker, he worked for Local 1770 Carpenters Union, was a farmer and a veteran of the U.S. Army...

WAPPAPELLO - Lyle Helm, 95, died March 10, 2002, at Three Rivers Healthcare North Campus in Poplar Bluff. Born Sept. 11, 1906, in Shook, son of the late John F. and Bell Parrish Helm, he lived for many years in Kirkwood where he was a foreman for Wagner Electric. He moved to Wappapello in 1987 and attended the Apostolic Church in Puxico...

ESSEX - Dora Lee Lawrence Causey, 75, died March 10, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Sept. 5, 1926, in Poplar Bluff, daughter of the late Leo E. and Nellie Huber Lawrence, she lived in Essex most of her life where she attended the Church of Christ...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Anita Diane Jacobs, 29, who died March 5, 2002, were: Chad Sykes, Orlando Walker, Earl Folkes, Stanley Perkins, Antoine Moore and Akera Nelson.

PUXICO - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Russell C. Clark, 69, who died March 8, 2002, were: Jami Clark, Tim Clark, Steve Clark, Tom Walter, Willie Roach and Bill Roach.

POPLAR BLUFF - Opal Riley Chadwell, 92, formerly of Dexter, died March 10, 2002, at the Three Rivers Healthcare South Campus. Born Oct. 6, 1909, at Powe, daughter of the late John and Iva Cooper Riley, she was affiliated with the Second General Baptist Church in Dexter...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Charles Lacy Smith, 66, who died March 7, 2002, were: Don Maddox, Art Morse, Joe Weber, Leon Corlew, Charles Swallows and Bill Fischer.

Sikeston Senior High School choral, string and band students got the opportunity to perform to an audience Monday night during the Allegro Music Club meeting. Twenty-five students performed for the special meeting. Over 100 SHS students are preparing for district competition on March 22...

SIKESTON - Ruby May Frazier, 94, died at 9:52 a.m. March 11, 2002, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born March 10, 1908, daughter of the late John and Melvina Launius Wren, she was of the Pentecostal belief. She was married first to Troy Clifton Carr, then married Walter Layton. Her third husband was Lee Frazier. Her husbands preceded her in death...

KELSO - Judith Marie "Judy" Robert, 56, died March 10, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born July 11, 1945, at Cairo, Ill., daughter of the late Arnold and Anna Schuch Brockmire, she was a printer at Lenco in Jackson and worked as a dental hygienist for Gary Riddle Dentistry. She was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, Ladies Sodality of the church and the American Legion Post 114 Ladies Auxiliary in Sikeston...

CHAFFEE - Adella Marie Scheffer, 83, died at 4:16 a.m. March 11, 2002, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 13, 1919, in Sopoka, Okla., daughter of the late Wendelin and Laura Gerst Heisserer, she was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church and the Daughters of St. Ambrose...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - James Edward "Zeb" Taylor, 79, died at 10:35 a.m. March 11, 2002, at the Missouri Veterans Home. Born Nov. 11, 1922, in Loretta, Tenn., son of the late James David and Emma Alice Pugh Taylor, he retired as a cook for a restaurant in St. Louis. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and member of VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau...

BERNIE - Gearldine Neeley Caldwell, 76, died March 11, 2002, at Missouri Southern Heathcare in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie.

SPRINGFIELD - W. Ramsay and Stephanie M. Williams Manning are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 11:35 p.m. Jan. 31, 2002, at St. John's Regional Health Center in Springfield. William Ramsay Manning weighed 9 pounds, 12 ounces and was 21-inches long...

ST. LOUIS -- How many Sikeston natives can claim this sports-travel pedigree? In a five month period, you will attend the Super Bowl (from the sidelines no less), spring training (with access to the clubhouse) and the Stanley Cup playoffs (flying with the Blues on the team plane)...