Stories from Wednesday, July 7, 2010

My daughter and I are at odds. Ever since I had a bad fall and almost cracked my skull, she's been giving me orders. Do this and don't do that. Last weekend she told me I had to stay home. I couldn't go anywhere. I told her that she's a meany and that all the other daughters let their mothers go out on the weekend...

1970 In an outstanding show of community solidarity, Piggott citizens voted 707 to 5 to pass an Act 9 bond issue to fund the construction of the new Gossard plant (now Aerial Bouquets). Bids on the 72,000 square foot facility would be let and construction underway by late July with the job to be finished by early December...

Independence Day was marked in Piggott Saturday, July 3, as the annual Fourth of July Picnic and Homecoming Celebration was held to benefit the upkeep of the local cemetery. Seasonably warm weather was the order of the day, as large crowds were on hand for both the parade and the activities at the picnic grounds. The event wrapped-up late Saturday evening with the crowning of Jillian Parker as Miss Piggott, the fireworks display and the drawing for three $5,000 cash prizes...

The volatile political climate in the United States was mirrored Saturday, as candidates from both major parties visited the annual Piggott Fourth of July Picnic. A group of Republican candidates were on hand early in the morning, speaking of bringing change to Washington. Later, members of the Democratic bandwagon rolled into town after taking part in the parade at Corning...

The artistic work of the late Wayne Mowery of Piggott may be found all across the region, but is seldom recognized. Mowery, who died following a lengthy battle with cancer July 2, 2004, is immortalized in stone for the monument work he did in dozens of cemeteries across Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri...

Four generations of Underwoods gathered at the Piggott fairgrounds June 18-20 to share fellowship, music, good food and lots of memories. All were descendants of Jimmy and Ethel Underwood, who had nine children. Their son Leon died in 2008 at the age of 90, and son Jimmy Gene died as an infant in 1934...

Omer F. Boser, 88, of Piggott, died Sunday, July 4, 2010, at his home following a long illness. He was born to the late Matt Boser and Mary (Wirkus) Boser in Edgar, Wisc., July 5, 1921. He was born and raised on a dairy farm near Edgar. After marrying Adeline, they bought their own farm and retired and moved to Piggott in 1977. Together they have traveled throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries...

Ida Velera Carr, 86, of Kennett and formerly of Piggott and Corning, passed away Sunday, July 4, 2010, at the National Health Care Center in Kennett. She was born to the late Joseph Hightower and Ida Dixie (Moore) Crowson June 28, 1924, at Greenway...

Sari Elizabeth Skinner, 64, of Portageville, Mo., died Sunday, May 30, 2010, at the Pemiscot County Memorial Hospital in Hayti. She was born Oct. 31, 1945, in Piggott to Willard Lee Wheeler and Carl Howard. She was united in marriage to Arvil Skinner on May 26, 1968, in Piggott and he survives of the home...

One of the local teams headed to state tournament play in the coming weeks is the Piggott 12-and-under girl's softball All-Stars. The girls are scheduled to play against a team from Pine Bluff at 6 p.m. Friday, July 9 at Blytheville. That tournament will be going on through Monday, July 12...