Stories from Wednesday, May 29, 2002

"Indeed, as a nation, we are grateful to those brave individuals for taking the risks." Charles Richardson, pastor of Hitts Chapel General Baptist Church, spoke those words during Sunday's Memorial Day services at the Piggott Cemetery. "I think the greatest miracle of all in giving their life is they're just like me and just like you," he said. "Ordinary people called on to do extraordinary things."...

PIGGOTT Most athletic coaches normally go through at least a year or two of assistant duties before assuming the role of head coach. Such is not the case for new Piggott Lady Mohawk head basketball coach Jeff Priest. Priest, 22, a 1998 graduate of Marmaduke High School and 2002 graduate of Williams Baptist College, was recently named to fill the vacancy left by former Lady Mohawk coach, Laura Ort, who is taking a head volleyball coaching position at Scott City High School in Missouri...

Delsie Jane Templeton, 89, of Missouri died Monday, May 27, 2002, at Three Rivers Medical Center North in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She was born March 13, 1913, in Piggott, the daughter of the late Druie and Martha Hardin. She married Kelly Templeton on July 15, 1933, in Kennett. She and her husband had met when she went to Piggott High School in 1931...

Jack West, 60, of Piggott died Friday, May 24, 2002, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born Oct. 1, 1941, in Doniphan, Mo., the son of the late Luther and Rosie Belcher West. He married Rosemary Hosea on Sept. 30, 1966. To this union three children were born...

Sherman Lester "Les" Somers, 76, of Piggott died Thursday, May 23, 2002, at his daughter's home in Batesville. He was born Aug. 27, 1925, in Paragould, the son of the late Omer and Gladys Cleora Cordell Somers. He married Lora Beth Nichols on Nov. 23, 1992...

Linda Mallard, 54, of Paragould died Monday, May 20, 2002, at her home. She was born June 12, 1947, in Fagus, Mo., the daughter of the late Fred Laverne and Earline Young Smith. She married Billy O. Mallard on May 26, 1965. To this union two children were born...

Cortney "Dick" Crandall Jr., 78, of Melbourne, Fla, died May 20, 2002, at his home. He was born March 10, 1924, in Marion, Ind., and grew up in Ft. Wayne. He was a veteran of the United States Army. He was an active member of the VFW, American Legion and the Moose Lodge. He was an avid hunter and fisherman...

Artistic expression will be on display at the Piggott high school and elementary campuses when students return for the new school year in August. High school art students created four murals through The Art Company, a mock business that was created as part of a lesson plan for the year. It was funded through a $500 Region 3 Career Opportunities grant, according to art teacher Jerri Tate, and the business partner was Sarah White Howell of Piggott...

A Piggott science teacher is being honored in the Who's Who Among America's Teachers for a third time. Alvin Vangilder, who has been teaching at Piggott for his entire 25-year career, has also been nominated twice for Science Teacher of the Year in Arkansas and was among the top 10 finalists for the 1999 Arkansas School for Mathematics and Sciences Jr. High Math and Science Teacher of the Year...

It is tranquil in the Piggott Cemetery on this late Friday afternoon. The sun is slowly beginning to set, and clouds are slowly floating in to cover the blue sky. Here and there are individuals and families placing flowers on loved ones graves as they pause to take a moment to remember...

Lavern "Mac" Manchester, who serves as a Rector alderman and a Clay County justice of the peace, has announced he is seeking re-election to both positions in the November general election. Manchester has been on the Rector City Council since 1983 and has served on the Clay County Quorum Court since 1993...

Family and Consumer Science teacher Susan Allison has been working at Rector High School for 26 years. This year, however, she will retire from the job she has loved doing for so long. "In my family and consumer science classes, I teach students that family always comes first. That is what I have always believed, and I'm retiring because I need to put my family first," she said. "I didn't plan on retiring now, but I feel that taking care of my grandchildren is what I should do."...

U.S. servicemen and women who died for their country and those who are serving today in the continued fight for freedom were honored Sunday afternoon in a solemn and touching ceremony at Woodland Heights Cemetery. "We are here to pay tribute, honor and remember those who came before us, who fought and died so we might enjoy the freedoms we have," Congressman Marion Berry told a large crowd which gathered near the cemetery's flag...

Ollie Kunkleman, 84, of Rector died Wednesday, May 15, 2002, at Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Aug. 29, 1917, in Knob, the daughter of the late William and Minnie Cunningham Burks. She was preceded in death by four daughters, Goldie Lee Swyres, Annie Rae Swyres, Sylvia Steel and Helen Beck; one granddaughter, Lisa Thornton; one grandson, Aaron Owens, and one sister, Ellen Cuccinelli...

Kasey Reagan went 3 for 3, as Smoots bested Jordan's Racing 20-4 in Junior Little League action Thursday night. Erosion Control System beat Banning's Welding 15-6. Also on Thursday the Marmaduke Jr. Babe Ruth team split two games with Walnut Ridge. Marmaduke won the opener 10-4. Justin Wright was the winning pitcher for Marmaduke as he struck out 10, gave up 4 hits and allowed 3 walks. Wright also hid a big night at the plate as he batted in 6 runs with doubles and a single...

Last Monday in Little League action Rector Downtown Drug beat Subway 8-1 behind the sensational one hit pitching of Daniel Hester. Hester struck out 12 and walked 4 batters. In Little League action on Tuesday Underwood Furniture bruised Glen Sain 18-3. Trevor Garret was the winning pitcher for Underwood. Patrick Scott hit a triple and a double for Underwood...