Stories from Monday, January 5, 2004

The return of the Wise Company to Rector, cleanup efforts following a devastating ice storm, an horrific sandstorm which resulted in the death of a Senath woman and the loss of two local church facilities to fire topped news stories in 2003 in the Rector area...

The Lady Greyhounds of Marmaduke easily defeated River Valley 64-50 in a quarterfinal game at the NEA Tournament Saturday morning in Jonesboro. A Heather Johnson lay-up at 7:20 put the Lady Hounds up 2-0. Johnson then passed to Lauren Wright for another lay-up and a 4-0 lead...

A spirited Lady Greyhound rally came up short Monday morning at the NEA Tournament in Jonesboro as they fell to the Lady Cardinals of Weiner 51-48. The Lady Hounds were down 49-40 at the 1:54 mark of the final quarter after Weiner's Lauren Dale put an offensive rebound back in...

Grady Thomas Arnold, Sr., 63, of Rector, died Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003, at his home. He was born Oct. 23, 1940, in Kennett to the late George Wesley Arnold and Victory Hazel (Self) Arnold. He was a press operator for Emerson Electric, had lived most of his life in the community, and was of the Assembly of God faith. He was married to Barbara Weatherspoon on Feb. 19, 1962...

Helen Lawson Wheat, 73, of Dewitt, mother of Danny Wheat of Rector, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003. She was a homemaker and member of Sunnyside Missionary Baptist Church. Other survivors include her husband, Doyle J. Wheat; three additional sons, Dillard Wheat of Ontario, Canada, Doyne Wheat of Memphis and David Wheat of Locust Grove; six grandchildren; and two great-grandsons...

Pauline Florence Tippitt, 88, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003, at Rector Health Care. She was born July 8, 1915, in Dexter, Mo., the daughter of the late Harvey Leon Henry and Rosa Strait Henry. She was united in marriage in 1936 to Clarence Columbus Tippitt. He preceded her in death on March 17, 1998...

Larry Lewis, 59, of St. Francis died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003, in the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Feb. 9, 1944, in Greenway, the son of the late David and Creacy Loveless Lewis. Preceding him in death was one brother, James Lewis in 1997. He is survived by one son, Michael Lewis of Wappappello, Mo.; five brothers, Junior Lewis of Piggott, Jerry Lewis of Piggott, Billy Lewis of St. ...

Karen Ann Ellis, 46, of Marmaduke died Saturday, Dec. 27, 2003, at her home. She was born Feb. 18, 1957, in Leesburg, Fla., and was married in May 1974 to Jerry Ellis, who survives. She was a housewife and of the General Baptist faith. She was preceded in death by her father, Sherman Ebert Blanton, and two brothers, Randall and Ronald Blanton...

David L. Swink, 71, of Rector died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003, at Paragould. He was born May 4, 1932, in Greene County to the late W.R. and Altie Swink. He was of the Baptist faith. He is survived by his wife, Jewell Swink of Rector; two sons, Robert Swink of Lafe and James Swink of Clinton, Ill.; two daughters, Altie Dale Wilson of Marmaduke and Barbara Sue Melton of Rector, and two brothers, Melvin Swink of Paragould and Houston Swink of Pennsylvania...

Eva Virginia Stokes Graham Frets, 89, of Rector died Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003, at her home. The daughter of the late Alfred Marion Stokes and Stella Miller Stokes, she was born Sept. 4, 1914, in Clay County. She was a retired beautician and had lived in Rector and Caruthersville, Mo., her entire life. She was a member of the Fifth and Pine Church of Christ...

John C. Grubb, 75, of Boydsville died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003, in Piggott. He was born Jan. 31, 1927, in Boydsville, the son of Clarence and Ida Grubb. Mr. Grubb was of the Baptist faith and was a World War II veteran. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Ida Grubb; 11 brothers and sisters; one grandson; and one great-granddaughter...

Melissia Heath, 73, of the Rector Nursing Home, formerly of Black Oak, Ark., died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003, in the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Aug. 29, 1930, in Crockett, the daughter of the late Ruben T. and Callie Hilderbrand Graves. She was united in marriage to Elmer Heath on Dec. 22, 1956. He preceded her in death in February of 2002...

Jessica Hill of Rector was one of 20 Arkansas high school seniors honored recently at the Wendy's High School Heisman Awards Presentation held at the Alltel Arena in North Little Rock. She is the daughter of Keith and Jan Hill of Rector. Rick Schaeffer of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Mark Rushing, sports director at KARK-TV Channel 4, were the speakers for the event, which recognized some of the state's top students in scholastics, athletics and community service...

LITTLE ROCK (AP)- A House panel on Monday rejected a plan that would have added about $500 million a year to funding for public schools in Arkansas. The proposal turned down by the House Education Committee was offered by Rep. Barbara King, D-Helena, as an alternative measure to one sponsored by House Speaker Herschel Cleveland, D-Paris, that would add about $300 million each year to the state's school funding...

A dramatic buzzer-beating three-pointer in overtime by John Clark gave the Marmaduke Greyhounds a 86-83 win over the Lynn Lions in a game played at the NEA Tournament Friday afternoon in Jonesboro. Clark's timely trey brought a sudden end to a game that had abounded with dramatic plays...