Stories from Wednesday, January 17, 2018

CTS Group of St. Louis, Mo., presented phase II of the proposed Twin Rivers R-X High School in Broseley for discussion among board of education members during their regular meeting Tuesday. CTS Project Development Engineer Rodney Bridger presented a 41,700 square foot school with 18 classrooms, a science lab, two computer labs, a media center, two locker rooms, storage areas, administration offices, a concession stand and 1,040 seat gymnasium...

Poplar Bluff Ward 4 candidate Philip Crocker filed for re-election Tuesday, the final day to sign up for the April 3 election. Both seats on the Poplar Bluff City Council now face a contest, but some spots in Neelyville, Fisk and Qulin are uncontested...

Neelyville School Board President John French has withdrawn his name from the April 3 election, after serving the district for 18 years. Filing officially closed yesterday for area school boards. Seats on the Neelyville and Poplar Bluff boards of education, as well as Three Rivers College Board of Trustees are now uncontested...

Charles Franklin Grills, 75, of Fisk, Mo., died Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, at his residence. He was born in Fisk on Nov. 7, 1942, to the late Earl Grills and Alice Kiger Grills. He was a long time resident of Fisk. Charles married Trease Morris in 1990. She survives...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Diane Elaine Hart, 66, of Doniphan died Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. A graveside service will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday at Brooks Cemetery in rural Ripley County, Mo. Edwards Funeral Home of Doniphan is in charge of arrangements...

ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Neoma Wilder, 87, of Atoka, Tenn., died Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday at McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore, with funeral services following at 11 a.m. Online condolences: www.mcspaddenfh.com

Thomas J. Hall Sr., 58, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born in Chicago, Ill., on May 15, 1959, to Marvin Hall and Florence Roberson Hall. Mr. Hall was a carpenter. He did home construction...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Bobby Wayne Martin Jr., 47, of Maynard, Ark., died Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, at Powhatan, Ark. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. in the funeral home chapel and burial will be in the Northside Church of Christ Cemetery in Maynard, Ark...

Michael Edward Nichols, 59, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born on May 18, 1958 to Eddie and Mildred (Cordell) Nichols in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mike owned and operated Nichols Trash Service in Poplar Bluff and surrounding areas...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Mildred Louise Littrell, 75, of Doniphan, died Sunday, January 7, 2018, in Memphis, Tenn. Private funeral services are to be held. Edwards Funeral Home of Doniphan is in charge of arrangements.

GLENNONVILLE, Mo. -- Peggy Deloma (Larmie) Gass, 82, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, at Hunter Acres Caring Center in Sikeston, Mo. She was born June 5, 1935 in Poplar Bluff to Chester Larmie and Tula (Perry) Larmie. She was a lifelong resident of Poplar Bluff and was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church...

PRINCETON, Minn. -- Anna Marie Schmit, 90, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away on Saturday, January 6, 2018, at Cedargate Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. She was born on May 8, 1927 in LaCrosse,Wis., to Louis and Florence (Fogal) Miller. Anna married Wilbur Schmit on June 26, 1948...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Alice Pauline Moses, 86, of Malden died Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018 at Southeast Health of Stoddard County in Dexter, Mo. Visitation was at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral followed at noon. Burial was in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- DeLois Ann Silman, 77, of Doniphan, Mo., died Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018 at her home near Doniphan. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018 at Fowler & Sons Funeral Home in Neelyville, Mo. Services will follow at 1 p.m. in the chapel...

MALDEN, Mo., -- Randall Joe Allen, 54, of Dexter, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018 at Southeast Health of Stoddard County in Dexter, Mo. Visitation will be at noon Wednesday, Jan. 17 at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Shirley Ann Holmes, 83, of Malden, Mo., died Saturday, Jan. 13 at her home in Malden. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018 at the Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018 at the Landess Chapel with James Powell officiating...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Earl Willcut, 83, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Jan. 11, 2018 at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born on April 7, 1934. He was married to Alliene (Mayes) Willcut. She proceeded him in death in 2003. He was a member of Twin Springs Baptist Church and the Masonic Lodge in Poplar Bluff...

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Clara Boatwright, 104, formerly of Wayne County, MO, died Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, at her daughter's residence in Florissant, Mo. Visitation will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Services will follow at 1 p.m. Wednesday, also at the chapel. Burial will be at Mt. View Cemetery, Des Arc, Mo. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Mary Frances Pruett, 79 of Poplar Bluff, passed away Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018 at the Manor in Poplar Bluff. She was born on Nov. 1, 1938 to the late Everett Brown and Elizabeth (Ward) Gentry at Sikeston, Mo. On Feb. 18, 1955 she married Eugene Pruett at Scott City, Mo, he preceded her in death Jan. 11, 2008...

BROSELEY, MO. -- Jerry Wendell Gordon was born March 29, 1958, at Campbell, MO., the son of Raymond Wendell Gordon and Zelma Ruth (Parks) Gordon. He passed away Jan. 13, 2018, at Broseley at the age of 59 years. Jerry was united in marriage to Anna Pettypool on March 14, 2006, at Dexter, Mo...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN President Trump "said things which were hate-filled, vile and racist. ... I cannot believe ... any president has ever spoken the words that I ... heard our president speak yesterday." So wailed Sen. Dick Durbin after departing the White House...

On December 22, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law by President Trump. What has happened in the succeeding three weeks is just the beginning of a long and empowering process to reward the American worker for years of sacrifice, dedication and hardship. In these three weeks, over two million U.S. workers have seen bonuses, pay raises, and benefit increases totaling more than one billion dollars ... that's right more than $1,000,000,000...

An angel has gone to Heaven. Our mum, Irene Selby died Jan. 4, 2018 at the age of 92 ½. She was born June 5, 1925 in England. Mum came to live in the USA in 1978 and got her citizenship so she could vote in the Presidential election of Bill Clinton...

PUXICO, Mo. - Joan Arnold, of Puxico, died Monday, January 15, 2018 at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be at 6 p.m., Thursday, January 18 at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. The funeral will be at 1 p.m., Friday, January 19 at Morgan Sifford Chapel in Puxico...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS Hillary Clinton blamed the Electoral College for her stunning defeat in the 2016 presidential election in her latest memoirs, "What Happened?" Some have claimed that the Electoral College is one of the most dangerous institutions in American politics. Why? They say the Electoral College system, as opposed to a simple majority vote, distorts the one-person, one-vote principle of democracy because electoral votes are not distributed according to population...

PUXICO, Mo. - Evelyn E. Lynch, 82, of Puxico, died Sunday, January 14, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, January 18 at Duck Creek Church. The funeral will follow at noon in the church with Rev. Buck Cruse officiating. Morgan Sifford Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

DEXTER, Mo. - Virginia L. Sherfield, 92, of Dexter, died Monday, January 15, 2018 at the Cypress Point Skilled Care Center in Dexter. Visitation will be at 9:30 a.m., Friday, January 19 until time of services at 11 a.m. at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter with the Rev. Jeff Roth of Dexter officiating...

PUXICO, Mo. - Fred L. Pierce, 84, of Puxico, died Sunday, January 14, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be at noon, Saturday, January 20 at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m. in the Morgan Sifford Chapel with Rev. Gary Burns officiating. Burial is planned for a later date...

Carroll Sue Belt, 86, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018 at Oakdale Care Center. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Westwood Baptist Church with the funeral service following at 10 a.m. Dr. Steve Proctor will officiate. Burial will follow at City Cemetery...

ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Michael James Evans, 65, of Ellsinore died Monday, Jan. 15, 2018 at John J. Pershing V.A. Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 with Masons at 7 p.m. at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore, with the funeral service being held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 in the funeral home chapel. Rev. Jerry Crowley will be officiating. Burial will be in Harmony Cemetery in Ellsinore...

Dr. Thomas O. Wood, Jr., 89, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018 at the Manor. Arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

The seeding for the Stoddard County Activities Association boys basketball tournament predicts a rematch of last year's championship game. Defending regular-season champion Dexter received the top seed, and defending tournament winner Advance is the No. 2 seed for the competition that starts Monday at the Bearcat Event Center in Dexter...

A year ago, Erin Bollmann was taking on what she called the hardest challenge of her life. At 22 years old and just eight months removed from the last time she pulled on a basketball jersey for Southeast Missouri State, she was coaching girls basketball at her alma mater, Meadow Heights...

FISK, Mo. -- Lisa Michelle Wagster, 53, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away on January 14, 2018 from complications of pneumonia. Michelle was born on September 22, 1964 in Butler County, Missouri to John and Wanda (Collard) Wagster. Michelle was a graduate of Twin Rivers High School in Broseley and of the University of Missouri in Columbia. ...

Eddie E. Patterson, 71, of Wappapello, Mo., passed away Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, at his residence. Eddie was the son of the late Ray "Pat" H. and Tessie Mae Griffith Patterson. He was a graduate of Poplar Bluff High School Class of 1965 and was of the Baptist faith. ...