Stories from Wednesday, March 13, 2002

The Rector Lady Cougar softball team started their season off on the right foot posting a 7-4 win over Pocahontas last week. According to head coach Shane Robinson, getting the first win early in the season should boost the confidence of his "experienced, but young" team...

Jerry Dewayne Jordan, 57, of Paragould, a native of Marmaduke, died Monday, March 11, 2002, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Owner of Lantern Bookstore in Paragould, he was controller at Emerson Electric Company in Paragould, where he was employed for 37 years. ...

Mildred Kathlene "Kathy" Banks, 47, of Leachville, died Saturday, March 9, 2002, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born June 27, 1954, in Lafe to the late Louis Wyatt and Margaret (Gatewood) Wyatt. She was a homemaker. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one son, Lesley Wyatt, in 1986, and one step-sister, Carol Parker...

Rudolph "Rudy" Parham, 91, of Modesto, Calif., formerly of Rector, died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2001, at Arbor Valley Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. A native of Conway, he lived in Rector before moving to Modesto in 1952. He was a cannery worker for the Tri Valley Growers Plant No. 2. He previously was a farmer...

Oran B. Hatch, 80, of Pacific, Mo., formerly of Rector, died Jan. 22, 2002. He was born March 8, 1921, in Marmaduke to the late Benjamin and Ollie Pearl (Butler) Hatch. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Shriners and Pacific Baptist Church. He also was preceded in death by two sisters, Sue Lacewell and Robbie Pangborn; two brothers, Oerman Hatch and B.T. Hatch, and his first wife, Monta C. (Walker) Hatch...

PIGGOTT -- The Piggott baseball Mohawks got their 2002 regular season campaign underway this past week, struggling to an 0-3 start. Friday night in Piggott, the Rector Cougars were led by Nathan Connor's two home runs as the Cougars cruised to a 12-2 win...

Lois Hayes Layne, 94, of Rector died Thursday, March 7, 2002, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Born April 4, 1907, near Rector, she was the daughter of the late Luther and Betty Jane Hayes. She was a homemaker and a member of the Fifth and Pine Church of Christ in Rector. She also was preceded in death by her first husband, Sydney Walter Layne; her second husband, Clyde Cox; four brothers, Odis, Oather, Ralph and Ira Hayes, and two sisters, Mabel Butler and Pearl Jacoby...

Paul Wayne Hoggard of Piggott will seek re-election as Clay County coroner, subject to the May Democratic Primary. "I've enjoyed serving Clay County as coroner," Hoggard said. "I would like to continue my service to the county. I would appreciate your support."...

Carl Long, a Rector native, recently was inducted into the Paragould Bowling Association Hall of Fame. He is very proud to have the honor. "There have been only about eight or 10 people inducted since the alley has been open," Long said. "They mainly look for people who have been bowling the longest and who have served on the board of directors, which I was vice-president of. I'm really proud to have my picture hanging up in the alley."...

Rector Elementary School's sixth grade economics team wowed judges Saturday, March 9, at the State Economics Fair in Arkadelphia with a sweep of first place awards in six categories, including the overall award for excellence. The school's fourth grade team also took first place overall and first in four other categories, and Rector third graders and fifth graders in competition also brought home a large number of trophies...

While many projects die on the backburner waiting for funding, the Big Slough Project has managed to survive throughout the years. "It is still very much alive," said Richard Simmons, chairman of the Clay Conservation District. He said the Slough effort is classed as a "P.L. ...

PIGGOTT -- The Piggott baseball Mohawks got their 2002 regular season campaign underway this past week, struggling to an 0-3 start. Friday night in Piggott, the Rector Cougars were led by Nathan Connor's two home runs as the Cougars cruised to a 12-2 win...

Keeping the surrounding landscape clean and beautiful is a passion of Sarah Wruck's, one she promotes avidly through the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission, a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. "All my life I've been involved in things of an environmental nature," she said...

The Piggott City Council voted to establish a 15-minute time limit on three parking spaces near a daycare facility on Front Street. Alderman Lester Edwards was absent. During Monday night's meeting, the council heard from parents who take their children to Curtain Climbers and from employees of Balloons Inc./Heavenly Thoughts, an adjacent telemarketing firm...

Paul Wayne Hoggard of Piggott will seek re-election as Clay County coroner, subject to the May Democratic Primary. "I've enjoyed serving Clay County as coroner," Hoggard said. "I would like to continue my service to the county. I would appreciate your support."...

Joe "Joseph Leroy" Williams, 73, of Piggott died Saturday, March 9, 2002, in his winter home in Alamo, Texas. He was born May 21, 1927, in Memphis, the son of the late James Leroy and Mable Dickson Williams. Joining the Navy at age 16, he served in World War II in the Phillipines. After being honorably discharged, he returned to Memphis. Upon his arrival home, his dad took him to the local VFW Post and had him sign up as a veteran. He was recently honored for 50 years of membership in the VFW...

Betty Jo Barker, 72, of Kennett died Sunday, March 10, 2002, in Kennett. She was born March 4, 1930, in Retor, the daughter of the late Dan and Cora Elkins Shephard. She married Denver Lee Barker on Jan. 15, 1949. He preceded her in death on Sept. 1, 1964...

Imogene Cullum, 84, of Piggott died Tuesday, March 5, 2002, at the Piggott Nursing Center. She was born Nov. 5, 1917, in Rector, the daughter of the late Charley B. and Lula Mae Beckley Hooks. She married Jesse J. Cullum on Nov. 17, 1934. To this union two children were born...

Catherine Elizabeth Budwit, 76, of Adrian, Mich., died Monday, March 11, 2002, at Lenawee Medical Care Facility. She was born Dec. 4, 1925, in Adrian, the daughter of the late Clayton and Corilla Haynes Bahm. She has been employed by Peerless Gear for 20 years, retiring in 1984...

Mamie Thelma Reagan, 87, of Piggott died Thursday, March 7, 2002, at Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould. She was born July 15, 1914, in Piggott, the daughter of the late David Alexander and Rachel V. Garrett McLeskey. She married William Berry Reagan on March 31, 1931. To this union 11 children were born...

While many projects die on the backburner waiting for funding, the Big Slough Project has managed to survive throughout the years. "It is still very much alive," said Richard Simmons, chairman of the Clay Conservation District. He said the Slough effort is classed as a "P.L. ...