Stories from Thursday, July 3, 2003

Dr. V. B. Smith was honored at a surprise retirement party at Three Rivers Nursing Center (TRNC) in Marked Tree on Monday, June30. He retired after serving 40 years as Medical Director of Three Rivers and 50 years as a physician. As Dr. Smith made his final rounds Monday afternoon, Dorothy Abbott, TRNC Director, and her staff greeted guests in the Three Rivers lobby. ...

Leroy Malone, Jr., 64, of Tyronza, died on Monday, June 30, 2003 at St. Bernard Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. A member of the Marked Tree Church of God, Malone was a fork lift driver. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ruby and Leroy Malone, Sr.; two brothers, Kenneth Malone and Tommy Malone; and one sister, Maxine Kirk...

Leland Arvis Lee, 33, of Orlando, Fla. died on Monday, June 23, 2003 at St. Vincent Hospital in Little Rock. Born on January 30, 1970 in Osceola, Lee was a flight attendant and a member of the Greater 2nd Baptist Church in Little Rock. He was a member of the choir and a former member of the Tabernacle M.B. Church in Osceola. He was preceded in death by his mother, Georgette Thomas...

Brad Gamble, 39, of Caraway died Friday, June 27, 2003 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was a Baptist and a self-employed carpenter. Survivors include his mother, Alma Lee Fires Smith of Caraway; his father, Roger Gamble of East Prairie, Mo.; one brother, Brian Lee Gamble of Benton; one stepsister, Necie Hall of East Prairie; two stepbrothers, Jeremy Smith of Lake City and Keith Carden of East Prairie...

Cora Bailey, 89, of Osceola, died Monday, June 30, 2003 at Osceola Health Care. She had lived in Mississippi County for 60 years. Survivors include three sons, Carl Bailey of West Memphis, and James Bailey and Donnie Bailey, both of Dyess; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild...

A reunion for the family of the late Joe and Mitte Cooper was held June 28, 2003 in Arkadelphia at the DeGray Lake Resort in the Caddo Room. Don Reeves was the winner of the video "Cooper Cousins." Baby pictures of the cousins were shown. The winner named the most cousins. Bob and Don Reeves were the winners of the horseshoe throwing contest...

Each year many schools around North Eastern Arkansas participate in the G.R.E.C. (Great Rivers Educational Cooperative) Project Fair for Gifted and Talented. Because of her academic performance at school, Adeva A. Holliman has qualified to be a participant of this program for two years consecutively. The students have to be able to reseach and compile a composition on a topic/theme of their choice...

The 2003 Summer Reading Program is under full swing at the Goldsby Library in Lepanto. Kindergarten through third grade meets on Tuesday at 2 p.m. and fourth through sixth grade students meet on Wednesday at 2 p.m. This year's theme is "Laugh It Up At The Library." The younger children are read books by volunteers from the community and are encouraged to participate. ...

Over 30 kids from the Tyronza area got up early Saturday morning to help raise money for a cause to help children like themselves. The First Annual St. Jude Bike-a-Thon gave children in Tyronza an opportunity to raise money for St. Jude and a chance for exercise, riding bicycles for one mile inside the city limits. The course that the children followed went from Main St. to Mullins, back to Main St. to Mullins St. Ext...

Lighthouse Kids: Shining God's Light Vacation Bible School at the First United Methodist Church of Marked Tree, from Monday, July 14 until Thursday, July 17, will explore God's light through Bible and mission stories, fun crafts, recreation, music and much more...

Shawn Alan Tillery, 32, of Jonesboro, formerly of Harrisburg, died Wednesday, June 25, 2003 at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born in Jonesboro, he was a 1989 graduate of Harrisburg High School and a 1995 graduate of Arkansas State University. He served as a coach at Weiner High School, Bay High School and Greene County Tech...