Stories from Tuesday, December 24, 2002

Longtime Clay County Circuit Clerk Pat Williams will retire at the end of the year. She was elected to the office in 1992, previously serving as a deputy circuit clerk to Circuit Clerk Gary Magee. "I think he was a very good circuit clerk," Williams said...

JONESBORO The Piggott Lady Mohawks survived the first round of the the annual NEA Tournament Thursday night with a 47-40 win over the Brookland Lady Bearcats. The 20th-seeded Brookland girls fought a fierce battle with the Piggott ladies during a fierce first half battle to trail by a mere three points at halftime, 28-25...

Gertrue Pruett, 80, of Batesville, formerly of Rector, died Dec. 15, 2002, in White River Medical Center in Batesville. She was born Aug. 27, 1922, in Boydsville, the daughter of the late William Thomas and Laura Mae Clayton Shannon. She married John Harold Pruett on July 26, 1939, in Caruthersville...

Nora Laverne Clark Spicer, 81, of Thompson Station, Tenn., died Friday, Dec. 13, 2002, in NHC Nursing Home in Lewisburg, Tenn., after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was born April 1, 1921, in Piggott, the daughter of the late Homer E. Sr. and Audrey M. Clark. She was of the Baptist faith...

Bob Glen Johnson, 66, died Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002, at St. Mary's Samaritan Health Center in Mount Vernon, Ill. He was born Aug. 8, 1936, in Qulin, Mo., the son of the late Garland and Izora Boswell Johnson of Piggott. He was a retired superintendent of the Christopher Elementary Schools in Illinois and a member of the First Baptist Church in Christopher...

Sandra Kay Dismukes, 57, of Pollard, died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002, in Three Rivers Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born in Holcomb, the daughter of Fain and Jewell Byrd White. She was united in marriage to Raymond Dismukes on Jan. 5, 1963. To this union two daughters were born...

LITTLE ROCK (AP) The Arkansas Supreme Court has turned away a request that it take another look at its rigid interpretation of the state's minimum property tax for operating schools. An education official says the Thursday decision could add pressure on poorer districts to consolidate...

Tracy Gurley - The true meaning of Christmas to me is remembering the birth of Jesus and what Christmas is truly about. Also it is about being with my family during this special time and being fortunate enough to see the excitement and anticipation of my children and remembering my own childhood on Chrsitmas Day...

Country music star Barbara Fairchild and her husband, Roy Morris, brought the true meaning to Christmas to Rector Saturday night with a special gift the Rector community is not likely to forget anytime soon. Out of a deep love and respect for her mother, Opal Fairchild, and a determination to help Rector Healthcare, where her mother now resides, Fairchild, a native of Knobel, brought her Branson Christmas show "A Star Spangled Christmas" to the Rector stage as a benefit for the nursing home. ...

Marmaduke Junior High English teacher Norma Williams recently received notification that her hard work had paid off. She is now a nationally board certified teacher. Williams worked two years to complete the certification process and described it as "grueling."...

Tracy Horton -- Christmas is about family, friends and thankfulness. When I think of Christmas, I automatically think of the family and friends that will gather together to celebrate love, life and happiness, and I can't help but be thankful for these things...

"When I retire, I'm going to continue to work as a housewife," said Deanie Wagster. She will retire Dec. 31 as librarian at the Rector Public Library, and she and husband, Jim, will move to Searcy to be near their daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Shane Ford...

Patricia Lynne Miller, 60, of Paragould died Dec. 18, 2002, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born Aug. 30, 1942, in Rector, the daughter of the late Robert and Loretta Gordon. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Paragould and, along with her husband ,Larry, owned and operated the Plaza Twin Cinema in Paragould for many years...

JONESBORO The Rector Cougars jumped out to a 9-3 first quarter lead Thursday night during first round play of the NEA Tournament in Jonesboro en route to a 59-41 thrashing of Delaplaine securing a berth in the tournament's quarterfinal round action...

The Marmaduke senior high Lady Greyhounds continued their familiar undefeated winning ways Thursday night breezing past Rector, 53-17. The win improves Marmaduke's season record to 17-0 (8-0, 3-AA North) Brooke Grigsby paced the Lady Greyhounds with 21 points on the night, followed by Lauren Wright, 11; Beth Grigsby, 8; Heather Johnson, 4 and Teri Graham, 3. Mary Humphries, Sarah Rogers and Keena Graham all contributed two each in the win...