Stories from Wednesday, July 2, 2003

The Fourth of July holiday celebration is here, and the annual Piggott Picnic is the place to be Friday. All proceeds from the picnic go toward the maintenance of the beautiful Piggott Cemetery. As always, a highlight of the event is the beauty pageants, which will begin Thursday evening. ...

Jeff Smallmon, Northeast Arkansas' District Four Little League Administrator announced that the Tri-County Interleague Association has named the players to the league's All-star team who will participate in the Little League International Tournament in the Senior Division...

Scott Morgan, Piggott High School's head football coach, stepped down last Thursday and accepted an assistant position at his alma mater, and PHS's 3AAA-North rival, Osceola High School. He will serve as an assistant alongside his father, Lorin Morgan. The Osceola head coach is Clinton Gore...

There is one word that describes Piggott sixth-grader Mercedes Arnold when she is practicing on the tennis court spunky. With her seemingly endless energy, enthusiasm, and excitement one can't help but put a smile on their face when they are in her company. However, one word does not describe all the qualities of Arnold. Very talented, extremely smart, and quick-learning are other adjectives that fit the young athlete to a tee...

While the Piggott High School tennis team just recently ended their 2003 spring season, that does not mean that activity in the sport will remain dormant until next season. Actually, tennis activity in Piggott is currently bustling. Two weeks ago, PHS head tennis coach Paul Seegraves held a Relay for Life benefit tennis tournament at Sugar Creek Country Club...

Neeley Stinebrook, 79, of Piggott died June 30, 2003, at Three Rivers Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Aug. 22, 1923, in St. Francis, the son of the late Earl and Dorothy George Stinebrook. He was united in marriage to Norma Green on Jan. 25, 1944. To this union two daughters were born...

Ruby Ethel Snider of Wappapello, formerly of Campbell, died Thursday, June 26, 2003, at River Oaks Care Center in Steele, Mo., at the age of 86 years, eight months and 25 days. She was born Oct. 1, 1916, in Malden to Joseph H. McLemore and Carrie Isabell Pittman McLemore...

Myna Jo Gray, 66, of Ash Flat, Ark., died Friday, June 27, 2003, in Galax, Va. She was born Sept. 25, 1936, in Blue Cane, Ark. She was the daughter of the late Earl and Edna Bell Chilcutt. She was united in marriage to Chester Gary on October 29, 1955. To this union one daughter was born...

Mary Brawner, 88, of Piggott died Sunday, June 29, 2003, at Three Rivers Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born Jan. 4, 1915, in Crockett, Ark. She was the daughter of the late Robert and Eula Rogers. She was united in marriage to Truman Brawner on March 10, 1934...

Eugene Edmond Gilkison, 79, of Piggott died Tuesday, June 24, 2003, in the Piggott Nursing Center in Piggott. He was born July 31, 1923, in Rector, the son of the late Joe Sherman and Julia Ann Lane Gilkison. He was united in marriage to Velma Gail Jones on Sept. 1, 1974...

Dorothy Vincent Alstadt, 85, of Rector died Tuesday, June 24, 2003, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Nov. 20, 1917, in the Blue Cane Community near Rector to Albert and Bertha Vincent. She and her husband, the late Melvin Alstadt, were former joint owners of The Alstadt Farm and Town Market Grocery. ...

A mere six months ago, Eric Fuller, a 2000 graduate of Piggott High School, heard a calling from God and made the decision to follow that command and travel to a distant land to teach and preach the Gospel to a very primitive culture. After enduring what he calls "the hardest five months of my life, but the best five months, also," Fuller returned from the desert region of Burkina Faso, West Africa to his hometown of Piggott two weeks ago with the newfound knowledge that those fortunate enough to live in the United States with such luxuries' as beds, electricity, food, and clean water have just as much to learn from those who sleep in mud huts, earn pennies for their work, and live off of seeds, leaves, and even dirt for food.. ...

This summer the City of Piggott and businesses are utilizing a youth work service program through the Arkansas Workforce Center. Parks and Recreation director Shannon Williams said the program lasts six weeks and is fully funded by the state. She said 10 teenagers are working for the city, school, library and Dr. Angela Howell...

It is family, and it is the founding of a great nation after a hard-fought battle for freedom that State Sen. Tim Wooldridge believes are important things to remember as the country prepares to observe Independence Day. "I swell with pride as I remember the true reason for us celebrating Independence Day," Wooldridge said...

Mary Drucilla Dortch, 88, of Rector died Wednesday June 25, 2003, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center. She was born on June 23, 1925, in Leonard, the daughter of the late Claude Boyd and Shirley( Phorahauer) Boyd. She was a homemaker, a member of Rector First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Rector Woman's Club and Rector Square Dance Club. She was a lifelong resident of the community...

Eugene Edmond Gilkison, 79, of Piggott died Tuesday, June 24, 2003, in the Piggott Nursing Center in Piggott. He was born July 31, 1923, in Rector, the son of the late Joe Sherman and Julia Ann Lane Gilkison. He was united in marriage to Velma Gail Jones on Sept. 1, 1974...

Marmaduke's Andrew Dodd, who signed a letter of intent last week to play college baseball for Williams Baptist College, is quite enthused about his chance to play at the next level. He said, "It feels great. This is what I always wanted to do. I have always dreamed of having a chance to play college baseball and now the dream has become reality. I can't wait to put on my college gear. When I put that WBC cap on my head it's really going to hit me."...

Clay County Central High School graduate Mark Manchester was hired by the Rector school board in a special meeting last week to take over the boys basketball program. Manchester recently stepped down after highly successful girls basketball and boys baseball seasons at Bay High School...

A local high school standout in softball found the recent Junior Classic fast-pitch All-Star game a learning experience. Kocaina Lyles, who played first base for the Rector Lady Cougars this past season, played in the AA All-Star games in Conway that took place June 7th. The games involved girls that will be seniors in the upcoming school year...

Elvis Clyde Rodgers, 76, of Rector died Saturday, June 28, 2003, at his residence. He was born Dec. 14, 2003, in Marmaduke, the son of the late William Rodgers and Susan (Robinson) Rodgers. He married Betty L. Powell on July 25, 1964, in Rector. He was employed with Bolen Security. He was a 26-year Army veteran, having served in Korea and Vietnam, and he was a member of Disabled Veterans. He had lived most of his life in the community and was of the General Baptist faith...

Frances W. Copeland, 83, of Rector died Thursday, June 26, 2003, at her residence. She was born Oct. 22, 1919, in Pine Bluff, the daughter of the late Ira Winchester and Gladys (McDonald) Winchester. She was a school teacher and a member of the First General Baptist Church...

Oneida Sigsby Tull, age 89, of Little Rock, a native of Rector and formerly of Crossett, Texarkana and Bauxite, died Thursday, June 26, 2003. Born in Rector, she was the daughter of the late Vesta Tidwell and Louis Bert Sigsby. A retired schoolteacher as well as a voice teacher, she loved music and flowers and shared them generously with family and friends...

The Rector Area Chamber of Commerce and the Rector Lions Club are seeking donations for new United States flags to add to those the Chamber currently displays on holidays along Rector's highways. The Rector Lions Club recently took on the task of erecting the flags with committee chairman Russ Gamblin (also a Chamber member) doing most of the work single-handedly...

Dorothy Vincent Alstadt spent countless hours at the Alstadt Farm and Town Supermarket in Rector as co-owner of the business with her husband, Melvin, for many years. Later as the Arkansas State Revenue Office agent in Rector, she was familiar to most people in the community...

(Editor's Note: This article about Rector native Denver "Bull" Randleman is reprinted from the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette. Randleman was the subject a few weeks ago of a feature in this newspaper's Delta Life section. He lived at one time in the Freer community on the outskirts of Trumann. ...

A Rector native has been hired to coach the high school boys basketball team. The Rector School Board met in special session last Thursday and hired Mark Manchester as coach. He is a graduate of Clay County Central and ASU. Manchester has been coaching girls basketball and boys baseball at Bay High School, where he had winning seasons with both teams. He is the son of Mac and Jane Manchester of Rector. His wife, Amy, is the daughter of Danny and Lura Holifield, also of Rector...

The special election to decide the Rector School District millage to bring it into compliance with state standards will be held Tuesday, July 8. Polls will open at 7:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. These are the polling places: Bradshaw and Haywood Greenway City Hall...

The Senior Division in Little League is for players league age 14, 15 and 16. The team members are: From Walnut Ridge: Adam Hufstedler, Ben Engelken, Zach Stuart, Ryan Weir, Cameron Kelley and Chris Logan. From Piggott: Brad Graves, Nick Williams, Lance Conley and T.J. Harris, From Marmaduke: Nathan Tuberville and Justin Wright. From Rector: Jacob Holcomb and from Pocahontas: Ben Brightwell...