Stories from Monday, June 9, 2003

A hearing was held in the Mississippi County Court in Blytheville on Monday with Manila Superintendent Charolette Wagner requesting the court to impose an injunction preventing the Manila School Board from hiring a new superintendent. Wagner's contract was not renewed by the school board in January. Wagner has served as superintendent for two years...

Marvin Odell Fleeman, 75, of St. Louis, Mo., died April 2, 2003. He was born in Manila, the son of John and Nora Fleeman. He lived and attended school in the Shady Grove School. He lived in Manila until he went into the military. He served in the Army during World War II. After serving in the military, he lived in the St. Louis area and maintained a summer home at Mt. Home...

Eula "Sis" Harrelson, 78, of Jonesboro died Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at her home. A native of Lake City, she lived in Craighead County most of her life. Survivors include two sons, James Dean Harrelson of Jonesboro and Homer Gene Harrelson of North Carolina; two daughters, Eula Evone Roberts of Jonesboro and Jane Cleo Jones of West Frankford, Ill.; a brother, James Blankenship of Lake City; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren...

Terry Hatchel, 67, of Caraway died Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at the Regional Medical Center of Northeast Arkansas. He was a retired independent trucker and a Baptist. He was an Army veteran and a member of the American Legion. Survivors include his wife, Kathryn Hatchel of Caraway; a son, David Hatchel of Saginaw, Mich.; two daughters, Janet Knapp and Lori Lewie, both of Saginaw, Mich.; two brothers, Perry Hatchel of Bernie, Mo., and Frank Hatchel of Dexter, Mo.; four sisters, Eula Mae Carson and Violetta Minton, both of Bernie, Mo., and Emogene Hodge of Flint, Mich.; three grandchildren, Chris Duffel, Brandon Alsup and Lisa Alsup.. ...

Edith Mae Hicks, 78, of the Buckeye Community near Leachville died Sunday, June 1, 2003, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Arbyrd, Mo., she was the daughter of the late Tom and Ethel Faulkner Dollins and was a lifelong resident of the Leachville area. She was the widow of Raymond "Farmer" Hicks and was a longtime member of the New Providence Baptist Church...

Merrilyn June Williams Kinchen, 67, of Fredericksburg, Texas, formerly of Manila, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003. She was a wife, mother and homemaker. She and Algie Kinchen were married in Manila on Feb. 7, 1951. She is survived by her husband, Algie Kinchen; her mother, Hester Moore Williams Clayton of Manila; two sons, a daughter and spouses, Randy Kinchen of Fredericksburg; Mike and Tracey Kinchen of Boerne, Texas, Bethany and Rob Simpson of Fredericksburg; a sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Doug Clayton of Manila; and six grandchildren.. ...

Lillie Lee Sharp, 82, of Leachville, widow of J.W. Sharp, died Monday, June 2, 2003, at St. Anthony Hospital in Morrilton. Born at Buffalo, Ark., she was the daughter of the late Frank and Myrtle Hancock Gidcomb and had lived most of her life in Leachville. She was a retired school teacher having taught for 33 years in the Leachville School District. She was a member of the Leachville First Baptist Church...

The BIC Spring Sports Banquet was held on Thursday, May 8, at the BIC East cafeteria in Leachville. At the event, athletes participating in the school's spring sports were recognized for their achievements. The first to present awards was girls' golf coach Mari Hayden, who named freshman Nan Lee Bridges as the team's medalist. Boys' coach Mike Bridges was next, naming senior John Eric Hawkins as the medalist for the year...

Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks was famous for saying "Let's play two," referring to the old doubleheader. Riverside and Trumann took it to the extreme last Thursday night at Trumann in Sr. Babe Ruth action. In the opener Trumann forged to an early 8-0 lead after four innings before the Rebels battled back and pulled within 8-6 after the fourth inning. Trumann then pushed across two more runs and held on for a 12-8 win. The first game was normal enough, but that was just the beginning...

Colonel Charles Wilburn Dryer, 87, of Springdale, died Monday, May 26, 2003, in Springdale. He was born on Feb. 3, 1916, in Jonesboro. He was the son of Charles and Dorothy Cook Dryer and had served in the United States Army and retired as a Colonel. He served in World War II, Korean and Viet Nam wars...

Girtrue Ethel Cunningham, 84, of Cardwell died Monday, May 26, 2003, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born in Printiss County, Miss. Survivors include a daughter, Jo Ann Denton, of Cardwell; two sisters, Zencie Rulo of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Shirley Drake of Potosi, Mo.; four grandchildren, Jeannie Marie Michell, Peggy Ann Walker and Linda Darlene Nipper, all of Cardwell, and Melinda "Mel" Denton of Jonesboro; and 13 great-grandchildren...

A retirement reception was held Wednesday afternoon in honor of Manila elementary teacher Carol Benson. Benson has taught in the Manila elementary school for 22 years in the fourth grade, one year in the Manila third grade, and served as a teacher's aide for three years. She taught Social Studies and Science for the last several years of her career. She taught one year (her first year) in the Mt. Home School District...

Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Johnson, long time area residents, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on June 9. The Johnsons moved to Monette Manor from Leachville in January. They will be honored with a reception at 2 p.m. on June 9 at Monette Manor. All of their friends and family are invited to come by...

JoAnn Boyd and Kathy Montgomery were honored on Friday with a retirement luncheon at the Buffalo Island Central Junior High School. They were honored by family and friends. Boyd and Montgomery are teachers in the Buffalo Island Central School District...

Mora Kathryn Allen, 84, of Heber Springs, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003. She was born Nov. 4, 1918, in Manila, to James Andrew and Virgie Mae (Counts) Parker. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Walter Hall Pickett and Lloyd Dick Allen, and a sister, Gladys French. She had lived in Heber Springs for 23 years, having moved there from El Cajon, Calif. Mrs. Allen was a retired restaurant owner. Her religious belief was Baptist...

Deane Ellsworth Arnold, 76, of Fairfield, Calif., died Wednesday, May 21, 2003, after a long battle with cancer. He was born Dec. 23, 1926 at Stillwater, Okla. She was a long time resident of Fairfield. He was in the U.S. Navy with the Seabees, a Veteran of World War II and worked at Shop 17 Mare Island Naval shipyard as a sheet metal worker for over 42 years, retiring in 1989. He was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Fairfield Lodge 1845...

Tulsa Mae Strange Barnes, 82, of Harrisburg died Wednesday, May 28, 2003, at Woodbriar Nursing Home in Harrisburg. Born at Leachville, she had lived in the Whitehall area and at Harrisburg. She was a Baptist and a homemaker. Survivors include a son, Roy Jack Strange of Fisher; a daughter, Betty G. ...

Wilma Ann Batchelar, 54, of Lake City, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at her home. Born at Egypt, she spent most of her life in Lake City, was a homemaker and attended the Needham Assembly of God. Survivors include her husband, Jerry Batchelar Sr. of the home; three daughters, Darlene Hodge of Needham, Moica Batchelar of Harrisburg and Alicia Bond of Lake City; three sons, Jerry Wayne Batchelar Jr. ...

Rouland Craig, 93, of Coloma, Mich., died April 23, 2003, in South Haven Health Care Center in Coloma. Mr. Craig lived most of his life in the Benton Harbor, Mich., area. He was formerly of the Jonesboro and Monette area. Survivors include a daughter, grandson and two great-grandchildren...

Riverside's 16 and under girls' softball team played four games against Manila last week and came up the victor in all four contests. The two teams played a double header Tuesday night at Lake City. In the first game, Riverside defeated Manila 17-1...