Stories from Wednesday, November 7, 2007

It began in 1919 to commemorate the armistice (temporary cessation of hostilities) between the Allies and Germany at the 11th hour of the 11th day of November. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us, and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…". ...

A ceremony was held last week at Piggott Community Hospital to mark the retirement of registered nurse Kay Huckabay of Rector. Huckabay's retirement, after 33 years of service to the facility, marks the end of an era for the hospital as she was the last staff member to work at both the new and the old locations of PCH...

The corner of Main and Thornton in Piggott has been hectic the past few months, as workers have been busy re-building the Fred's store that was destroyed by fire earlier this year. As the holiday shopping season draws near the construction project is nearly finished, and the new facility is now scheduled to open on Nov. 30...

1967 A tragic accident, 40 years ago this past week, claimed the life of 16 year old Allen Hampton of Piggott. Hampton was killed while looking at a shotgun at the home of a friend, he was a junior at PHS. The final installment on the assessment of Piggott Schools was released in the past week. ...

Grace E. Gordon, 80, of Piggott died Nov. 1, 2007, at the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Jan. 20, 1927, in Piggott, and was the daughter of the late Walter William and Cecil Mae Carter Wiedeman. She was a longtime member of the First Christian Church in Piggott...

This Friday's football playoff game for the Piggott Mohawks has forced some re-scheduling as the high school basketball season is set to get underway. The Piggott boy's teams were scheduled to start their season Tuesday night at home against Marmaduke, and were to visit Ridgefield Christian on Friday in a non-conference game. ...

The past two years in a row the Piggott Lady Mohawk volleyball team was eliminated from the state tournament by the team from Lavaca, a team that last year then went on to lose to Brookland in the state championship match. This year it came in the second round of competition, and it took the Lady Golden Arrows five games to send the Piggott girls home. And once again Lavaca later fell to Brookland in the championship match...

Going into last Thursday's season finale at Brinkley the Piggott Mohawks knew exactly what to expect. The Tribe had to go on the road, in unfriendly territory, and pull out a win over a team that had nothing to lose. When the dust had cleared the Mohawks had posted a 30-12 victory over the Tigers, and with the win they'll now take on Prescott in the first round of the state 3A playoffs this Friday night...

Eleanor Underwood, 100, of Piggott, died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007, at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, in the Piggott Cemetery with Charles Cooper officiating. Hoggard & Sons Funeral Home of Piggott is in charge of the arrangements...

Leta Renard, 80, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Piggott, died Monday, Nov. 5, 2007, at the Monticello House in Jackson, Mo. She was born June 20, 1927, in Piggott, and was the daughter of the late Harlan and Minnie Mae Holifield Kirk. She was united in marriage to Francis "Mutt" Renard on Jan. 7, 1950. The couple had two children...

Melvin Johnson, son of the late Willis Johnson and Pearl Byrd Johnson, was born July 13, 1937, in Piggott. He died Nov. 3, 2007, at his home in Jordan, Ark., at the age of 70. Johnson was retired from the St. Louis Carpenters Union Local 2214. He worked many years for Goodwin Construction in St. Louis, constructing bridges and sewer systems...

It was an emotional evening for the Cougars last Thursday, as the team concluded its season by hosting the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots for Senior Night. Rector fans gathered at Temerian Field to show their support for the seniors and all their efforts as Cougars...

Herman Barkemeyer, 80, of Lexington, Ind., a native of Rector, died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007, at Thornton Terrace Health Campus in Hanover, Ind. The son of the late Herman Karl Barkemeyer and Melissa Price Barkemeyer Baker, he was born Nov. 6, 1926, in Rector. ...

Juanita Mabel Gore, 87, of Rector died Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007, at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born Sept. 17, 1920, in Lawrence County to the late Charles B. and Olive Townsend Maltbie, she was a member of the First Baptist Church, VFW Auxiliary, Retired Teachers Association, Clay County Friends, Extension Homemakers Club and was a member of the WMU...

As members of the 39th Infantry Brigade, which includes several area soldiers, prepare for deployment to Iraq, some family members are banding together to show their support for the troops. The 39th's Family Readiness Group, made up of the soldiers' family members, placed yellow ribbons around the walkway in front of the Rector Armory as a show of support for area soldiers. ...

Rector Future Farmers of America (FFA) members attended the national convention at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis last week, spending much of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the large gathering. Five students -- Sarah Hester, Leigh Ann VanNada, Dillan Hartsfield, Kaitlin Vangilder and Hannah Scott -- were joined by Rector FFA advisor Jason Murray at the three-day event. ...

All Rector soldiers will be honored during a special Veterans Day assembly at the Rector gymnasium Monday. All veterans are invited to attend and are encouraged to wear their uniforms. The ceremony will feature guest speakers, including a special presentation by mayor Ron Kemp in recognition of the soldiers of the 875th...

The Junior Cougars wrapped up their season with a 26-8 loss to Cave City last Tuesday night in Rector. The young Rector team went into halftime trailing 8-0, before falling 14-0 early in the third. Rector responded with under three minutes left before the final frame, as Dustin Montgomery pounded the ball from two yards out for the touchdown. Cory Hager followed with a successful run on the try for two, bringing the young Cougars within a single score, 14-8...