Stories from Wednesday, June 28, 2006

"Freedom Is Not Free" is the theme for the 79th annual Piggott Fourth of July Picnic. The proceeds from the picnic go tward the maintenance of the beautiful Piggott Cemetery. Although the majority of activities will be held at the picnic grounds, located on South Moore Street in Piggott, on Tuesday, July 4, the celebration will begin on Monday, July 3, with the opening of the barbecue stand and other stands at 5 p.m. The evening will also herald the crowning of two Queens...

The Piggott Little League, along with Piggott Parks and Recreation, will be hosting the seven and eight-year-old state tournament from Saturday, July 1 through Tuesday, July 4. A banquet sponsored by the Piggott Little League, Parks and Recreation and Area Chamber of Commerce will be held on Friday, June 30 at the community center for players and coaches...

It was another successful season for the State Farm 11 and 12-year-old team, as the squad brought home their respective league, district and region championships. The team finished with an overall record of 27-6, moving their total over the past two years to an impressive 63-15, despite returning only two players from a year ago...

Joyce Lee Burr, 67, of Niles, Mich., formerly of Rector, died Thursday, June 22, 2006, in Memorial Hospital at South Bend, Ind. She was born June 23, 1938, in Paragould to the late Everett Highfill and Audie Walker and was married Dec. 22, 1984, to Jack Burr. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith...

Jimmie Robert Travillian, 77, of Rector died Saturday, June 24, 2006, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Born July 13, 1928, in Rector to the late Robert Newton Travillian and Lula (Edwards) Travillian, he was a service man and meter reader for the Clay County Rural Water Association. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War and a member of Hitts Chapel General Baptist Church...

Lorene Eloise Baker, 85, formerly of Pollard, died Tuesday, June 20, 2006, at the Yalobusha County Nursing Home in Water Valley, Miss. She was a homemaker and a member of the First United Pentecostal Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Homer William Baker; parents, Charlie and Lula (Richardson) Ellis; one son, Gary Baker; two sisters, Thela Jane Stinett and Beatrice Thompson; and two brothers, Charlie Ellis and Bill Ellis...

Helen Webster, 90, of Piggott died Saturday, June 24, 2006, at the NEA Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Aug. 23, 1915, in Piggott, the daughter of the late Poley Dow and Daisy Francis (Moore) Simpson. She was united in marriage to Silas Webster on Oct. 14, 1933. He preceded her in death in 1985. They had four children...

Rebecca Lorene (Haywood) Staples, 81, of Piggott died Friday, June 23, 2006, at the Med Center in Memphis. She was born April 9, 1925, the daughter of the late Herbert and Neatie (Edwards) Haywood. She was united in marriage to Wayne Staples on Dec. 26, 1945. They had three children...

Jimmie Harold White, 68, of Piggott died Thursday, June 22, 2006, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born Dec. 25, 1937, in Pulaski, Tenn., the son of the late Millard Boyd and Ovie Mae (Dugger) White. He was united in marriage to Nellie Weller on Dec. 25, 1981...

Nelldean Akers, 81, of Piggott, died Friday, June 23, 2006, at her home in Piggott. She was born Dec. 21, 1924, in Datto, the daughter of the late Randall and Ora Henderson Smith. She was united in marriage to Pleas "P.H." Henderson Akers on Nov. 1, 1941, in Kennett. He preceded her in death on April 5, 2004...

Marvin Owen, 72, of Piggott died Thursday, June 8, 2006, in the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born June 13, 1933, in Nimmons, the son of the late Vessie and Mary Williams Owen. He was united in marriage to Betty Sue Evans on June 29, 1951. They had three children...

Several county courthouse positions seem to be more secure for the moment, following a special Quorum Court finance committee meeting Monday night at Piggott. Initially, the committee proposed cutting 11 county positions between the two courthouses in Piggott and Corning. ...

Anticipation is building as the benefit for the Clay County Future Farmers of America chapters and victims of the Marmaduke tornado approaches. Wade Hayes and Trent Willmon will perform at the Clay County Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena this Friday and Saturday evening before the Challenge of the Bulls...

Adam James Hess, 24, of Wynne, great-grandson of Hughey and Mary Linam of Rector, died Tuesday, June 20, 2006, in St. Francis County. He was born Nov. 26, 1981, at Wynne to James Henry Hess Jr. and Pamela Gayle Mulholland Hess. He married Miss Jennifer Leigh Taegtmeyer on Jan. 24, 2006...

Joyce Lee Burr, 67, of Niles, Mich., formerly of Rector, died Thursday, June 22, 2006, in Memorial Hospital at South Bend, Ind. She was born June 23, 1938, in Paragould to the late Everett Highfill and Audie Walker and was married Dec. 22, 1984, to Jack Burr. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith...

Mary Elizabeth Sanford, 88, of Marmaduke, died Tuesday, June 20, 2006, at Evergreen Health and Rehab in Rector. Born Jan. 17, 1918, in Denver, Colo., to the late James Olson and Nellie Mae Brott Olson Cole, she was a homemaker, a longtime member of the community and a member of New Home Missionary Baptist Church...

Jimmie Robert Travillian, 77, of Rector died Saturday, June 24, 2006, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Born July 13, 1928, in Rector to the late Robert Newton Travillian and Lula (Edwards) Travillian, he was a service man and meter reader for the Clay County Rural Water Association. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War and a member of Hitts Chapel General Baptist Church...

Several county courthouse positions seem to be more secure for the moment, following a special Quorum Court finance committee meeting Monday night at Piggott. Initially, the committee proposed cutting 11 county positions between the two courthouses in Piggott and Corning. ...

The Rector community showed tremendous support for its servicemen who have been and will be deployed to the Middle East in a "Salute To Our Soldiers" program Monday night at the Community Center. The dinner event sold out of available tickets with more than 300...

The Rector community showed tremendous support for its servicemen who have been and will be deployed to the Middle East in a "Salute To Our Soldiers" program Monday night at the Community Center. The dinner event sold out of available tickets with more than 300 attending. Tickets were provided free of charge to soldiers, their family and friends...

Nelldean Akers, 81, of Piggott, died Friday, June 23, 2006, at her home. She was born Dec. 21, 1924, in Datto, to the late Randall and Ora Henderson Smith and was married Nov. 1, 1941, in Kennett, Mo., to Pleas "P.H." Henderson Akers, who preceded her in death April 5, 2004...

Denver "Pat" Patrick, 80, of White House, Tenn., formerly of Rector, died Monday, June 5, 2006, at his home. Born April 20, 1926, in Rector to the late Wyatt "Pat" Patrick and Flora Mae Patrick, he attended Rector Elementary School and was a graduate of Jonesboro High School and Arkansas State University...

The results of the Arkansas District IV Central Area Tournament at Weiner may not have been quite what they would have liked, but the Rector and Marmaduke seven and eight-year-old all-star teams have no reason to hang their heads. After all, it was an all-star tournament...