Stories from Tuesday, July 7, 2015

To the Editor: "Is Alcoholism A Disease?" I hear so much today about alcoholism being a disease that I find myself disagreeing strongly with this definition. In my honest opinion I believe the public is sadly misinformed. Nevertheless, I've decided to give my opposing view...

By GEORGE F. WILL "What chumps!" -- Chief Justice John Roberts, June 29, 2015 WASHINGTON -- Roberts' intellectual complexity does not prevent him from expressing himself pithily, as he did with those words when dissenting in a case from Arizona. Joined by Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, Roberts' dissent should somewhat mollify conservatives who are dismayed about his interpretive ingenuity four days earlier in writing the opinion that saved the Affordable Care Act. ...

Jimmy Shulse Jimmy Ray Shulse, 75, of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, July 6, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Jennifer L. Smith Jennifer L. Smith, 45, of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, July 6, 2015, at her residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Clarence "Ken" Mash PUXICO, Mo. -- Clarence "Ken" Mash died Monday, July 6, 2015, at St. Joe Manor in Bonne Terre, Mo. The visitation will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Brown General Baptist Church in Puxico. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the church. Burial will be in the Brown General Baptist Church Cemetery. Tom Brewer and Ray Placher will officiate...

Freddie Hogue DEXTER, Mo.- Freddie Bess (Johnson) Hogue, 90, of Texas, died Saturday, July 4, 2015. She will be buried at Fairview Cemetery, Gainesville, Texas.  Local arrangements through Meador Funeral Home.

Jessy Hobert Walker DEXTER, Mo.- Jessy Walker, 58, died Friday, July 3, 2015, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. Visitation will be 12:30-2 p.m. today at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. Burial will be in the Dexter Cemetery...

Theodore Tackett Theodore Alan Tackett, 47, of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, July 6, 2015, at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Norma Ruth Cox Norma Ruth Cox, 88, of Poplar Bluff, died Sunday, July 5, 2015, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis. Mrs. Cox was born April 4, 1927, in Neelyville to the late Guy and Dora (Tate) Davidson. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, and was a homemaker...

Austin Engram ADVANCE, Mo. -- Austin Kyle Engram, 16, of Advance, passed away Sunday, July 5, 2015 near Grassy. He was born October 8, 1998 at Poplar Bluff, the son of Shane Engram and Misty Allred. Austin was a rising 11 grader at Advance High School. He loved his brothers and sisters. He loved to hunt, fish and ride any kind of ATV. He was a very hard worker, thoughtful, kind and always ready to help. He was a special boy...

Bill Murrell Chambers MALDEN, Mo. -- Bill Murrell Chambers, 80, of Malden, departed this life Saturday, July 4, 2015, at his residence. He was born Sept. 15, 1934 to the Late Rollie Chambers and Ruby Holtzhouser in Dunklin County, Mo. Bill Murrell Chambers had been the owner of Plant Foods, Inc. ...

Daniel J. Davis II PIEDMONT, Mo.- Daniel J. Davis II, 38, of Piedmont, passed away Sunday, July 5, 2015, at his residence. Services are pending at this time. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhome.com

Truman A. Sigman PIEDMONT, Mo.- Truman A. Sigman, 81, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Wayne County, died Saturday, July 4, 2015, at St. Francis Medical Center. Visitation will be at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Greenville. Services will follow at 2 p.m., also at the chapel...

Junior Pierce CORNING, Ark.- Junior Pierce, 88, of Corning, died Sunday, July 5, 2015, at home. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Ermert Funeral Home in Corning. Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Corning Cemetery...

Freda Del Prewitt Freda Del Prewitt, 87, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Saturday, July 4, 2015, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born March 28, 1928 in Livingston Co. Kentucky. She was of the Baptist faith. She retired from Busman Fuse Co. and had worked at Bluff Manor and Taco Bell and was a classroom grandma at Eugene Field School...

M. Gene Alford M. Gene Alford, of Bloomsdale, Mo., passed away Sunday, July 5, 2015, surrounded by his family at St. Anthony's Medical Center, in St. Louis. Gene was born near Poplar Bluff and was preceded in death by his mother, Millie Alford, his father, Milburn Alford; and his four brothers, James Alford, Earl Alford, Junior Alford and Walter Alford...

Farrell A. Jackson DEXTER, Mo.-- Farrell Jackson, 84, died Saturday, July 4, 2015 at Southeast Health in Cape Girardeau at the age of 84. Visitation was 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter. Funeral services followed at 10:30 a.m. with the Rev. Joe Payne officiating...

Sandra Hastings Sandra "Bucky" Hastings, 74, of Rombauer, died Sunday, July 5, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Sandra was born July 20, 1940, in Los Angeles. She was a homemaker and a Jehovah's Witness. She enjoyed fishing, flowers, camping, and visiting the ocean...

James Woolbright James Woolbright, 68, of Campbell, died Friday, July 3, 2015, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark. The visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at the Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Jim Duty officiating. Burial will be at the Piggott Cemetery in Piggott, Ark...

Betty Stewart Betty Joyce Stewart, 78, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Sunday, July 5, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Stewart was born Jan. 23, 1937, in Deering, Mo., to the late Esco and Lucille Pulliam Goodson. On July 26, 1957, she and Melvin Bodine Stewart were united in marriage in Aurora, Ill. He preceded her in death on Nov. 15, 2014...

Dolly Jackson BLOOMFIELD, Mo.- Dolly Jackson, 73, died Friday, July 3, 2015, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray Rowland of Dexter officiating...