Stories from Wednesday, March 12, 2008

The start of the 2008 baseball season has had much in common with traffic in a larger city in that there have been a series of stops much like those associated with stoplights. Rain and even snow have played the role of red lights for the Cougar bus as it tries to make its way to the ballfield. ...

Needed maintenance work is about to get underway at the Rector Community Center thanks to the generosity and support of local businesses and individuals during a recent fund-raising effort. Community Center Committee chairperson Paul Schwager said ticket sales to the center's Feb. 25 fish fry, along with donations received, brought in a total of $4,620. After expenses for the fish fry, the net profit was an amazing $3,473.39...

It almost seemed surreal. After weeks of hearing the distinctive voice of Holcaust survivor Ed Silverberg in a taped interview which was a part of their spring show, Rector High School drama department students answered the phone recently to hear his voice -- live -- and they were able to talk with him and ask questions...

We got some snow! I am happy! Now wasn't that just beautiful? One beautiful snowy day and it was gone in two days. The roads weren't bad for long, it didn't stay long enough to get dirty and it was good for the crops. It puts nitrogen in the soil, you know. I loved it!...

Ruella Jo Blackshear, 61, of Marmaduke died Saturday, March 1, 2008, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born Sept. 17, 1946, to the late Ewell and Lillian (Reddick) Williams in Greene County and was a lifetime resident of Marmaduke...

Anthony "Tony" Faught, 52, of Kennett, Mo., died Tuesday, March 4, 2008, at his home. He was born March 28, 1955, in Clay County to the late Alford Herman "Bud" and Sevetta "Betty" (Phillips) Faught. He and his wife, Sue, were employed at the Quick-Stop Convenience Store and Station in Marmaduke...

Richard Andrew Gilmore, 46, of Memphis, Tenn., died Wednesday, March 5, 2008. He was born Nov. 18, 1961, to Barbara Gilmore and the late Fred Gilmore and had lived in Memphis for more than 20 years. He was a T.V. repairman. He is survived by his mother, Barbara Gilmore of the home; one brother, William Dean Gilmore of Clearwater, Fla.; two sisters, Denise Bozarth of Paragould and Tami Gilmore of Memphis; one niece, Lesley White; four nephews, Nathan Weber, Robbie Pickering, Joseph Bozarth and David Bozarth; one great-niece, Shelby White, and a host of other relatives and friends.. ...

Violet Garnetta Smith, 85, of Marmaduke died Monday, March 3, 2008, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Born Feb. 20, 1923, in East Prarie, Mo., to the late Mr. and Mrs. Benford Vincent, she was in the grocery store business and a member of White Oak Church...

Mary Vangilder, 73, of Marmaduke, died Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at her home. Born Sept. 19, 1934, in Monette to the late Marion and Bertha Allison, she was an employee of Dollar General in Paragould and a member of First Baptist Church in Marmaduke...

Kathey Ann Wheat, 56, of Rector died Thursday, March 6, 2008, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born April 9, 1951, in Rector to Rachel Marie Warren Clayton and the late Noah Oliver Clayton. She was married to Larry Wheat on Sept. 30, 1967...

Over 2,800 soldiers from Arkansas' 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, including several Rector area soldiers, marched in unison Thursday, March 6, on the parade field at Camp Shelby in front of a large contingent of family, friends and distinguished guests. The farewell ceremony was the culminating event for over five months of training that began in Arkansas on Oct. 1, 2007, and ends over the next couple of weeks as the Brigade deploys to Iraq to begin its security mission...

The Rickman fundraiser is at hand. Attention all hoops fans, and anyone looking to do a solid good deed. This Saturday, March 15 the old PHS gym will come to life with the special fundraiser for a very special person. Most fans of Mohawk sports know the story of former standout athlete Erica Rickman, and her battle with an inoperable brain tumor. ...

Four county-wide races will be decided in the May 20 Democratic Primary election in Clay County. Voters will also decide one non-partisan race for District Judge. The filing deadline was noon Monday, March 10. Candidates filing for the primary election in contested races include:...

1968 Patrons in both Piggott and Greenway rejected school bond issues 40 years ago this past week. The Piggott issue fell 420-361 with the rural areas of the district voting the measure down, while at Greenway the tally was 49-41against the increase in the school millage rate...

No women over 60. Have we been written off? All year I've watched t.v. shows and read magazine articles about women and the various stages of their lives. Today on Opray there was a woman who told about changes in a woman's lifestyle and way of thinking when she turns 40, then age 50 and age 60. The thinking was that when a woman ages, she goes through different phases and adjustments...

Allene Day, 89, of Piggott died Thursday, March 6, 2008, at Murphy Health and Rehabilitation. She was born Aug. 19, 1918, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Benjamin and Lillie (Simpson) Mead. She spent her working years at the Chrysler Motor Company in Detroit...

Clifford Dunlap, 87, of Piggott died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Nov. 23, 1920, in Pollard, the son of the late Gentry and Myrtle Baker Dunlap. He was united in marriage to Winnie Kathryn McCroy on July 19, 1946, and the couple had three children...

Chester O. Gray, 72, of Ash Flat died Saturday, March 8, 2008, at his home. He was born March 8, 1936, in Oak Ridge, Mo., the son of Norval O. "Bo" and Verla A. (Fielden) Gray. He was united in marriage to Myna Jo Chilcutt on Oct. 29, 1955. The couple had one daughter...

Michael G. Holifield, 65, of Piggott, died Friday, March 7, 2008, at the Murphy Health Care Center. He was born January 30, 1943, in Pollard, the son of the late Eugie and Vadala Johnson Holifield. He was preceded in death by a nephew, John Howell. He is survived by a sister, Kay Howell and husband Johnny of Pollard; a brother, Jack Holifield and wife Diane of Conway; two nieces, Teresa May and Laura McNeill; three nephews, Mark Howell, James Howell and Brad Holifield; 10 great-nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.. ...

Omer Lee Lamp, 62, of Piggott died Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008, at his home. He was born May 14, 1945, in Piggott, the son of the late Oscar M. and Minnie M. (Johnson) Lamp. He was united in marriage to Christine Mansfield on Oct. 18, 1969, and the couple had two children...

James Dudley Woolf Sr., PhD, 93, died March 4, 2008, at the Parkview Hospital in Ft. Wayne, Ind. He was born July 7, 1914, in the Mary's Chapel community north of Rector, the son of the late James Edgar and Anna Erin (Mack) Woolf. He married Carolyn Meier on Dec. ...

Eighteen people either from or associated with the town of Piggott journeyed recently to New York to participate in a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the revolutionary motion picture "A Face in the Crowd." Piggott mayor Gerald Morris and wife June, Bill and Beverly Irby, Larry and Judy Holcomb, Jerry and Donna Morgan, James and Wanda Morris, Rhonda Harlan, Irvin and Sue Morris, Gary and Sue Morris, Duane and Amanda Lane and Dr. Nancy Hendrix represented the local interest in the event...