Stories from Saturday, November 27, 1999

Salvation Army Maj. Robert Gauthier has made a career out of kindness. Helping the less fortunate is major mission for Gauthier and the Salvation Army. Gauthier isn't alone. The area is full of benevolent people this time of year, with people donating everything from food to clothing to help those in need...

To the editor: I guess Southeast Missourian gurus are glad some candidates filed for the Cape Girardeau City Council Ward 5 vacancy. I seriously thought Southeast Missourian sages were going to have a cow about the whole thing. Frankly, I also thought a lack of any candidates in Ward 5 or, for that matter, in any other ward, would have been an indication of tremendous progress, a great leap forward, if you will. ...

Earthwork is under way at the new prison being built in Charleston. The prison will be a major employer of the area during construction and after it opens in 2001. Gates Plant, which makes automotive belts and hoses, is currently the largest employer in Charleston...

Chris Elfrink could have slept late the day after Thanksgiving with a day off from school, but he had excitement in mind. He and his mother, Geri, left their Marble Hill home at 4:30 a.m. and drove to Cape Girardeau to be first in line at Toys R Us for the store's 6 a.m. opening...

Editor's note: For the next three days, the Southeast Missourian will examine how additional funding and public input are impacting econmic, educational and social issues in Charleston. CHARLESTON -- Before 1990, the small town of Charleston appeared to be thriving. Just over 5,000 people lived in the Southeast Missouri town located near the Illinois and Kentucky state lines...

I battled the demons that lived within my kitchen this week, and I won. Of course, I had a little coaching from my mom in the preparation of this, my first Thanksgiving dinner, but I'm writing the rules to this contest and I say that's allowed. I have to tell you, my entire family was great about the whole ordeal. My sister, Clarissa, came home from college Wednesday morning, and she and my mom showed up right on schedule several hours later to start chopping and peeling vegetables for the meal...

Openings remain for two community Internet training classes scheduled in December. The classes are co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian and Southeast Missouri State University, and taught by members of the SEMissourian.com Web staff. An intermediate Internet class will be offered Thursday, Dec. 2, from 7 to 9 p.m. The intermediate class covers such topics as e-mail, chat, downloading and installing programs in more detail. All participants receive a free e-mail account...

CARUTHERSVILLE -- A decomposed body discovered on Thanksgiving could be that of an 11-year-old girl who has been missing since August, the Pemiscot County Sheriff's Department said. About 1:30 p.m., a deputy sheriff on a hunting trip discovered a body southeast of Caruthersville in a tree row, between two fields, Sheriff Tommy Greenwell said...

When it comes to Christmas, real trees are still in demand.Friday marked the official start of the holiday shopping season and the sale of Christmas trees.At Meier Horse Shoe Pines on County Road 330 near Jackson, a steady stream of customers boarded wagons pulled by Belgian horses for the short trek to the field of Christmas trees.Customers could tag their chosen trees or have the trees immediately cut and hauled back on the wagons to the parking lot.Teresa and Steve Meier operate the Christmas tree farm. ...

Got a minute to spare? How about 3 minutes. Availability of competent workers, business retention and expansion of local companies, combating crime, downtown vitality, economic development/recruiting and education are among the items on the list of the sixth annual Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's "Three-Minute Survey,"which has been sent to the organization's more than 1,200 members...

BENTON -- Michael Bell and Orlandis Farr will be held on charges stemming from the shooting death of attendant Charles Garrett at Kellett's gas station June 6, 1998. Bail was denied for Farr and the arraignment in Scott County Circuit Court was scheduled for both defendants on Dec. 9 by Judge David Mann following the testimony of convict Michael Hatcher at Tuesday's preliminary hearing...

DEXTER -- Emma E. Stallion, 79, of Dexter died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at the Beverly Health Rehabilitation Center in Dexter. She was born on July 23, 1920, at Dexter, daughter of Robert and Cora Lee DeArman Garner. She and Forrest W. Stallion were married June 26, 1947, in Lucas County, Ohio. He died on Sept. 28, 1959...

DEXTER -- Freida Alma Frank, 81, of Dexter, died Nov. 26, 1999, at St. Mary's Hospital in St. Louis. She was born April 6, 1918, at Puxico, daughter of Charlie F. and Flora Andrews Findley. She and John Adolph Frank were married Oct. 22, 1939, at Puxico. He preceded her in death in May of 1994...

Four accidents in Cape Girardeau County injured six people over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Missouri Highway Patrol said. Two people were injured in an accident at 4:46 p.m. Wednesday at the Highway 72/34 junction, two miles west of Jackson. A southbound car driven by Bryan Huffman, 23, of Whitewater pulled into the path of a westbound truck driven by Thomas Cook, 38, of Fredericktown...

DONIPHAN -- Charles William Abernathy, 79, of Doniphan died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at Methodist Central Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was born Aug. 16, 1920, at Ripley, Miss., son of Oscar and Georgia Baker Abernathy. He and Opal Bishop were married in Canalou, on Oct. 7, 1939. She preceded him in death May 10, 1978. He later married Lillian Griffin Brooks on Aug. 12, 1991, in Doniphan...

MARBLE HILL -- Cloye Laneta Warner, 75, died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at Elder Care of Marble Hill. She was born March 21, 1924, in Poynor, daughter of Daniel and Margaret Barks Seabaugh. She and Cecil Warner were married Sept. 15, 1940, in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death...

Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Statler, 66, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at her home. She was born Jan. 24, 1933, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Henry William and Emma Lydia Neumeyer Sander. She and Jerry Dee Statler were married Sept. 4, 1953, at Cape Girardeau...

ADVANCE -- Betty M. VanGennip, 66, of Advance died Nov. 25, 1999, at her home. She was born May 12, 1933, at Gipsy, daughter of Joe and Zillia Shiverdeck Beuhler. She and Jim VanGennip were married Aug. 10, 1957, in Hernando, Miss. VanGennip was a homemaker and beautician. She attended Full Gospel Tabernacle in Advance and was a member of the Assembly of God church...

ORAN -- Altha Mae Sallee, 86, of Oran died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at Chaffee Nursing Center. She was born Sept. 17, 1913, in Arkansas, daughter of Edgar and Lula Tanner Greener. She was a retired sewing machine operator with the Oran Hat Factory. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Oran and the Order of Eastern Star #342...

SIKESTON -- Betty Ann Jackman, 67, of Vanduser died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Dec. 31, 1931, in Escanaba, Mich., daughter of Ernest and Marian Congleton. She and Carman Jackman were married June 29, 1955, in Hernando, Miss...

DEXTER -- Lura McMunn, 86, of Dexter died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at the Vintage Villa Nursing Center in Dexter. She was born June 23, 1913, in Dexter, daughter of William and Mattie May Nicks Boyd. She had lived most of her life in Dexter and was a retired nurse's aid for Dexter Memorial Hospital. She and Vester "Blackie" McMunn were married. He preceded her in death on Dec. 21, 1988...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Jerry Hale, 61, of Karnak died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at Paducah, Ky. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Wilson Funeral Home in Karnak.