Stories from Wednesday, January 4, 2006

The Marmaduke Greyhounds battled back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter of their NEA quarterfinal meeting with the Cave City Cavemen to take a 67-66 advantage with under a minute to play. After a series of offensive rebounds, Trent Smith scored on a putback and was fouled. Smith canned the free throw, giving his team their first lead of the second half...

The Rector Lady Cougars fell 49-47 in a heartbreaker Monday night against the host Walnut Ridge Lady Bobcats. The Lady Cougars remained a step behind the Lady Cats much of the night. Rector trailed at each break: 7-4, 20-14 and 33-32. Despite the close score, the visitors team could not get over the hump and take control...

Trailing 54-41 with under a minute to play in their NEA Tournament semifinal matchup this past Friday with the Izard County Consolidated Lady Cougars, the Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds found their missing offense, outscoring ICC 8-1 in the final 42 seconds of play on a pair of free throws by Jade Brinkley and three pointers by Taylor Grayham and Nicole Bateman. Despite the late volley, the Lady Hounds fell, 55-49...

Alan L. Strauser, 41, of Jonesboro died Friday, Dec. 30, 2005, at his home. He had lived most of his life in Jonesboro and was a member of the First United Methodist Church. He spent the first two years of his life in the Shriner's St. Louis Hosiptal for Children...

Ruby Ann Morris, 91, of Rector, died Friday, Dec. 30, 2005, at Rector Healthcare. Born Jan. 9, 1914, near Paragould to the late George Henry and Alice Morris, she was a homemaker and a member of the Blue Cane General Baptist Church. Also preceding her in death were her husband, Joe Morris; two sons, Lindell Russell and Leyon Morris; one daughter, Dortha Cornelison; two brothers, Chester and Roy Morris; three sisters, Ruth Thompson, Pearl Smith and Gladys Morris, and one great-grandson, Jarrod Leach.. ...

Floyd Thomas Young, 85, of Rector died Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. The son of the late Tommy and Vesta (Brewer) Young, he was born Sept. 9, 1920, in Clifton, Tenn. He also was preceded in death by his wife, Eva Laverne (Knight) Young, on April 15, 1995; a son, Von Darrell Young, on Dec. 14, 1975, and a brother, Henry Young...

Mary Kathleen Wright Deniston, 87, died Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005, in California. She was born Oct. 21, 1918, in Rector. She was preceded in death by her husband, S.J. Deniston, in 1966, and a son, Philip Deniston, in 1967. Survivors include five children, Donna Jones of Auberry, Calif., Daina O'Donnell of Clovis, Calif., Charles Deniston of Merced, Calif., Tony Deniston and wife Diana and Sheila Sanders and husband Jack, all of Tollhouse, Calif., eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren...

Longtime Piggott businessman Charlie Jones, 69, died Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, at his home in Piggott. Jones co-owned Jones Furniture with his son, Kevin, for the last 27 years. He previously farmed in Leonard and worked for 30 years for Crockett Oil Company in Rector...

Julia Brewer Gober, 87, of Ada, Okla., formerly of Rector, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005, at Ada. Born Jan. 15, 1918, in Black Oak to the late John Henry and Hattie Stine Brewer, she attended school and graduted from Rector High School. She was married to Charles M. Gober on Dec. 26, 1941, in Rector. He preceded her in death May 3, 2003...

As 2005 came to a close, Rector residents looked back on a number of good things happening in the community and the promise of more good things to come in 2006. Rector School District is poised to grow with a soon-to-be-completed new pre-school and the progressing construction of a new physical education/classroom facility, made possible through a seven-mill tax increase overwhelmingly approved by voters in a May 2005 special election...

Deputies from the Clay County Sheriff's Department and members of the Piggott Police Department were instrumental Friday morning, Dec. 30, in apprehending a suspect who led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through three states. Sheriff Ronnie Cole said his department received notification at 8:17 a.m. ...

Living in an area that is within the New Madrid Earthquake zone makes it especially important for Rector-Marmaduke residents to be prepared for major natural disasters. At a recent meeting of the Rector City Council, the city's disaster preparedness was reviewed. ...

As the world was still reeling from the devastation of the tsunami in countries surrounding the Indian Ocean, local officials were sworn in to their respective offices and Clay County Extension Agent Debbie Baker shed some light on the tsunami tragedy as 2005 began. Baker and her husband, Ron, lived in Sumatra for 20 years while doing missionary work...

Douglas Dewayne Benson was born on Feb. 5, 1963, in Kennett, the son of Donald and Barbara Sue Dover Benson. He died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005, at the family home near Piggott at the age of 42. He accepted Christ as his savior when he was a teenager...

Joanne Thompson Cox, 72, of Scottsdale, Ariz., died Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, in Scottsdale. She was born on Jan. 20, 1933, in Forrest City, the daughter of the late Elliott "Bill" and Willie Mae Griffin Thompson. She was united in marriage to Jimmy Mack Cox on Aug. 12, 1951. They enjoyed 42 years together. He preceded her in death on May 19, 1994...

Zelma Pearl Dees, 91, of Piggott died Monday, Dec. 26, 2005, at the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett. She was born Sept. 7, 1914, in Bee Branch, the daughter of the late Benjamin Harrison and Dora Jane Baker Cullum. She was united in marriage to Lloyd Dees on Jan. 17, 1932. They had eight children...

Andrew Bryan Parrish Jr., 81, of McMinnville, Tenn., died on Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, at his residence. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bryan and Lola Parrish of Corning. Survivors include three sons, Gary of Florida, David of North Carolina and Dennis of McMinnville; and many relatives and friends in Piggott, Corning, Michigan and many other areas...

He was born July 15, 1954, the son of Charles and Letha Williams Read. He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Read; and two brothers, Rudy and Nickey Read. He is survived by his mother, Letha Read of Biggers; wife, Tracy Parrish Read of Brighton, Mich.; three children, Raven Read and Cody Read of Brighton, Mich., and Rocky Hampton and wife, Carrie, of Reyno; two grandchildren, Allison and Seth Hampton, both of Reyno; three sisters, Janice Read of McDougal, Gwen Bradshaw of Biggers and Cindy Bolen of Biggers; and many other relatives and friends.. ...

The Piggott Lady Mohawks started the new year off right Monday night with a 73-44 trouncing of the visiting Bay Lady Yellowjackets. The Lady Mohawks dominated the court, as evidenced by quarter scores of 22-13, 44-25 and 67-37. The Lady Yellowjackets were unable to battle back against the Lady Mohawks and the score totaled up against them...

Long-time Piggott businessman Charlie Jones, 69, died at his home in Piggott on Monday, Jan. 2, 2006. Jones co-owned Jones Furniture with his son, Kevin, for the past 27 years. Prior to owning the store, he farmed in Leonard and worked for Crockett Oil Company in Rector for 30 years...

A former Clay County Deputy Sheriff and Piggott Chief of Police, Alfred "Frosty" Smith, died at the age of 83 on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006, at Piggott Community Hospital. Smith served in World War II as a staff sergeant. He fought in Italy, Germany and France between 1943 and 1945. He received the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Achievement in active ground combat...

Deputies from the Clay County Sheriff's Department and members of the Piggott Police Department were instrumental Friday morning, Dec. 30, in apprehending a suspect who led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through three states. Sheriff Ronnie Cole said his department received notification at 8:17 a.m. ...