Stories from Friday, June 6, 2003

A Marked Tree tradition of over 76 years has ended. The United Methodist Women (UMW) group in Marked Tree has cooked home-cooked meals for the town's civic clubs for almost a century. A tradition started by wives of Rotarians and Lions, the women cooked two meals a week for their husbands' clubs. ...

The East Poinsett County Board of Education voted 4-1 last Thursday night to approve the bids to do work on a series of safe rooms that will be built at the school. In the special meeting, held on the Lepanto campus, the board approved the bids made by Frank A. ...

The First Baptist Church in Tyronza will be holding VBS registration and a Bicycle Parade today, Thursday, June 5, at 6 p.m. Children are invited to bring their bicycles decorated, participate in the parade and bring a friend to register for VBS. After the parade, they will go back to the church for ice cream...

Miss Stephanie Faye Thompson, a senior at Marked Tree High School was nominated by Ritter Telephone Company to receive a scholarship from the Foundation for Rural Education and Development (FRED). The award is given based on merit and demonstrated commitment to rural life. Stephanie will be using this scholarship to attend the University of Central Arkansas at Conway. She will be pursuing a degree in Education and wants to devote herself to teaching and coaching in a rural community...

Margaret Pilgrim, 56, of Lepanto, died on Thursday, May 15, 2003 at her home. Born is Russellville, Ark. on October 14, 1946, Pilgrim was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church of Lepanto and worked in the bookkeeping department of Amercian Greetings. She was preceded in death by her father, Oscar Wirth and sister, Polly Wirth...

Nancy Kinder Henson Ramer, 99, of Memphis, formerly of West Memphis, died on Friday, May 30, 2003 at Senior Services Nursing Home in Memphis. A member of the Missouri Street Church of Christ, she was a retired child care worker for the West Memphis Christian Nursery School. ...

Odessa Sipes, 68, of Dyess died at her residence on Friday, May 30, 2003. A member of the First Pentecostal Church of Marked Tree and homemaker, she was preceded in death by one sister, Sally Williams. Survivors include six daughters, Janie Clark of Hot Springs, Trissa Ann Price, Dottie Sandoval, Christina JoAnn Miller and Rhonda Sipes, all of Dyess, and Annie Belle Maness of Aberdeen, Ohio; five sons, Bill Joe Sipes and Michael Sipes of Millport, Ala., Larry Joe Sipes of Whitten, Charley Sipes of Marked Tree and Rocky Sipes of Lepanto; one sister, Vern Brennan of Perry, Fla.; two brothers, Tom Smallwood and Bailey Smallwood, both of Dyess; 20 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.. ...

Lea Neva Watson, 95, longtime resident of Tyronza, died on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 in Tulsa, Okla. She is the widow of the late, Louis P. Watson, who passed away in 1972. They worked together in the cotton business for many years. Mrs. Watson was a graduate of Tyronza High School in about 1925. She was a member of the Tyronza Methodist Church where she was active in the Women's Club and choir. She was a very talented seamstress and well known for her knitting ability...

With good numbers, the East Poinsett County Jr. Babe Ruth program hopes to build a tradition this year, with young players, mixed in with some veterans. The Warriors participate in the Northeast Arkansas League, which consists of EPC, Marked Tree, BIC, Lake City, Caraway, Manila, Harrisburg, Trumann, Valley View and Brookland. ...