Stories from Thursday, June 3, 2004

Charles Underwood of Piggott was the honored military veteran at this year's Memorial Day service held Sunday afternoon at the Piggott Cemetery. He and Dewey Holcomb, commander of American Legion Post 38, and Joel Fowlkes, vice-commander of VFW Post 4517, placed the wreath at the cemetery's memorial...

For a fifth consecutive year, Arkansas Children's Hospital will be a beneficiary of the Arkansas Ford Dealers' Big Bass Bonanza, the country's largest amateur big bass tournament. Through the first four years, Big Bass Bonanza has contributed nearly $45,000 to benefit programs at Arkansas Children's Hospital...

Mildred L. Holmes, 80, of Birmingham, Ala., formerly of Rector, died Monday, May 31, 2004. She was a member of the Brewster Road Baptist Church. Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and James Stevenson of Trussville, Ala.; one son, Paul Holmes of Trussville; one brother, George Linam of Rector; two grandsons, Paul Seegraves and wife Heather of Piggott and Phillip Holmes of Homewood, Ala., and great-grandchildren, Emilee Seegraves and Shawn Hudson Seegraves...

Angela Marie Vinson, 27, of Pollard, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at the St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Aug. 24, 1976, in Poplar Bluff, the daughter of Melvin and Pamela Vinson Baker. She was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Piggott. She was also a member of the Eagles Lodge #3730 and attended Twin Rivers and Poplar Bluff High Schools...

Rev. Charles Roark, 69, of Noxapater, Miss., died Saturday, May 1, 2004, at his home. He was a native of Arkansas but lived in Mississippi for the past 49 years. He attended Tupelo Bible College in Tupelo, Miss., and he pastored Pentecostal Apostolic Church in Philadelphia, Miss., for 29 years where he worked at the time of his death...

J.B. Miller, 84, of Malden, died Tuesday, May 25, 2004, in the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter, Mo. He was born May 12, 1920, in Corning, the son of the late Columbus Lee and Eva Janes Miller. He was united in marriage to Ann VeenKant on Aug. 11, 1967...

Charles Erwin Irby, 66, of Piggott, died Thursday, May 27, 2004, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Dec. 9, 1937, in Pontiac Michigan, son of W.E. Irby and Emogene (Simpson) Irby. He was a member of the Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his father...

Dallas Doyle Dunlap, 78, of St. Louis, died Friday, May 28, 2004. He was born Aug. 9, 1925, in Pollard, the son of the late Gentry Mayo and Myrtle Menty Baker Dunlap. He was united in marriage to Mamie Lou Goldsmith on June 28, 1984. He was preceded in death by his wife; and two brothers, Otis Dunlap and Rollen Dunlap...

The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff will be holding a one-day recognition program on Saturday, June 12, for women who have served in the armed forces. The event will be held at the Army Reserve Building (adjacent to Country Mart) located at 2160 North Westwood Boulevard, in Poplar Bluff...

For those who choose to serve their country there is a thought that is always in the back of the mind; someday they may receive "the call." After 16 years of serving in the Arkansas Army National Guard, Sgt. 1st Class Lance Holcomb received that call...

Two young men from Rector are playing American Legion baseball at Paragould this summer as they attempt to hone their baseball skills in anticipation of next year's high school season. These two young men, Jay Beacham and Derek Parrish, were both standouts on the recent season's Rector Cougars baseball team and they now find themselves surrounded by many outstanding players. ...

Mildred L. Holmes, 80, of Birmingham, Ala., formerly of Rector, died Monday, May 31, 2004. She was a member of the Brewster Road Baptist Church. Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and James Stevenson of Trussville, Ala.; one son, Paul Holmes of Trussville; one brother, George Linam of Rector; two grandsons, Paul Seegraves and wife Heather of Piggott and Phillip Holmes of Homewood, Ala., and great-grandchildren, Emilee Seegraves and Shawn Hudson Seegraves...

Lila Jane Pickler, 80, of Rector died Thursday, May 27, 2004, in Nashville, Tenn. She was born Sept. 29, 1923, in Detriot, Mich., to the late Ronald and Ethel Miles. She was a bookkeeper and of the Baptist faith. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Lindell N. Pickler, and two brothers, Keith Miles and Vernon Miles...

"One hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, how big my house was, or what kind of car I drove. But the world may be a little better, because I was important in the life of a child," this quote by Forest E. Witcraft holds a special place in the hearts of many educators. Mrs. Linda Greenway recently received a framed copy of the quote upon her retirement from Rector Elementary School...

"Music and Me" a play about the elements of music included numbers "It's a Melody", "The Rhythm of the Heart", and also musical selections from "The Music Man", which will be the fall show for RHS took to the stage as the annual RHS Stageworks Camp was held Monday, May 24, through Friday, May 28...

An effort is underway to organize a group of Rector citizens to adopt the 39th Infantry Brigade in Iraq. Mrs. Ruth Wimberley is spearheading the effort. Wimberley's grandson, Joel Hayes, is a member of the 39th. She said that Joel's mother, Dana, and members of her church at Walnut Ridge have been sending small care packages to individual soldiers in Iraq...

More than 60 people were greeted by a sunny, windy day for the annual Memorial Day Service which was held Sunday afternoon at Woodland Heights Cemetery. Tommy Huggins, Commander of Rector VFW Post 10480, welcomed the crowd to the service and presided over the program as master of ceremonies...

Last Thursday evening at Rector, Marmaduke's Family Pharmacy defeated Irby's Funeral Home 4-2 in a 9-10 year old Little League game. Family Pharmacy came into the game undefeated at 16-0. In an earlier game this season Family Pharmacy had little trouble in beating Irby's...

In eight and under softball action at Marmaduke last Tuesday evening, Newsome's Angels beat Laquieu's Lawn and Landscaping, 13-9. Bethany Banning, Caitlyn Logan and Magan Nolen each had big hits for Laquieu's. Jessica Duke and Sarah Badillo both hit triples for Newsome's Angels...