Stories from Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Tribune Staff Johnny Rye, Jr. knows no stranger. His friends, the people of Poinsett County, are at the heart of all Rye does. Rye, 47, was born in Marked Tree. His father, Johnny Rye, Sr., started Johnny Rye's Superette in the Black Oak Community of Oak Acres in 1957. After graduating high school and taking a few classes at Arkansas State University, Rye, Jr. went to work for his father in 1977...

Going into the final stretch of the 2003-2004 basketball season, both the Marked Tree boys and girls basketball teams have faced several good teams last week. In a game last Tuesday night, the Marked Tree Lady Indians hosted the Cross County Thunderbirds in a game that Marked Tree controlled from start to finish. ...

The East Poinsett County boys basketball team faced three strong opponents last week, both in and out of conference. EPC entered last week, facing two road games and one home game that could provide a test in the upcoming district tournament at Rivercrest next month. ...

Mae Jeanette Young, 79, of Memphis, TN, died January 25 at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis. She was a retired sales person for C.E. Thompson Lumber Co. of Memphis, a member of Gracewood Baptist Church of Memphis, and she was married for 50 years to her husband, Shelby Young...

Pamela Renee Bell, 43, of Fayetteville died Friday, Jan. 23, in Fayetteville. Born at Marked Tree, she worked in child care and was a member of Christ's Church in Fayetteville. Survivors include her husband, Robert Bell of Fayetteville; two sons, Michael Lynn Bell of Marked Tree and Johnathan Robert Bell of Jacksonville, Fla.; her mother, Eloise Brown of Marked Tree; two brothers, James Earl Brown of Xenia, Ohio, and Thomas Gerald Brown of Marked Tree; and two grandchildren...

Carrie Lewis, 101, of Luxora died Monday, Jan. 19, at her home. Born at Lake Village, she was a retired factory worker and a member of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Burdette. Survivors include one stepson, Leroy Moreland Sr. of Chicago, Illinois; one nephew, Ben Clark Jr. of Luxora...

Ruby Pearle Easter, 97, of Trumann died Thursday, Jan. 22, at Trumann Health and Rehab Center in Trumann. Born in Bowman, she was a lifetime resident of Trumann, a housewife and of the Pentecostal faith. Survivors include a son, Check Easter of Trumann; a sister, Irene Ghant of Marked Tree; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren...

Jerry Lane Darby Sr., 59, of Osceola died Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Osceola Healthcare. Born in Hope, Miss., he was a retired truck driver and a member of the Church of God. Survivors include his wife, Marie Kouch Darby; two daughters, Karen Simmerson of Marion and Sharon Darby of West Memphis; four sons, Jerry Darby Jr. ...

Jessie Faye Mosley, 53, of Blytheville died Sunday, Jan. 25, at Blytheville. Born at New Albany, Miss., she was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include her father, James Henry Cox of Manila; and four sisters, Bessie Mae McCullough and Kimberly Gann, both of Blytheville, Melba Argentine of Highland, Ind., and Shae Walker of Griffith, Ind...

Charles Clifford Holt, 75, died Jan. 25, at Conway Regional Medical Center in Conway of natural causes. Holt was born in Batesville and lived in Trumann most of his life before moving to Greers Ferry 12 years ago. He was retired from the Singer Company in Trumann and a member of the Freer Baptist church...

Ida Gene "Eudell" Avery, 61, of Lepanto died Friday, Jan. 16 at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith; she also was a volunteer worker at Lepanto Senior Life Center. Survivors include her husband, Harvey Avery of the home; two daughters, Hope Avery Parsons and Faith Baine of Lepanto; three brothers, James Miller of Lepanto, Travis Miller of Mississippi, and Mickey Miller of West Memphis; two sisters, Shirley Davis of Illinois and Anita Johnson of Lepanto; and two grandchildren, Bradley Edward Gage Baine and Jessica Ann Davis of Lepanto.. ...

Tribune News Staff After much debate, the Lepanto City Council voted 7-0 last Thursday night to approve the 2004 operating budget for the city. The budget, which covers all city departments and which had to be passed before a Feb. 1 deadline was debated for nearly two hours, with council members looking at the numbers. ...

The Marked Tree School District recently announced that four members of their senior high band have received the honor of being selected to the All-Region Band. Marked Tree Band Director Thomas Walker told the Tri-City Tribune last week that sophomores Elizabeth Allen and Cassidy Hopkins, along with juniors Courtney Bickerstaff and Michelle Dabney received the honor, after trying out for the honor and going head-to-head against other students from throughout Northeast Arkansas...

In a special meeting Monday night, the East Poinsett County Board of Education voted 5-0 to restructure the contract of EPC Girls Basketball Coach Brian Weathers. In the meeting, held on the Lepanto campus, the board voted to change the terms of the contract from a teacher/coach contract to a teacher's aide with a Bachelor of Arts Degree contract. ...

Tribune News Staff "For meritorious service in connection with military operations against the enemy in Belgium, 26 Dec. 1944. As a member of a gun crew occupying a position from which effective fire could not be placed on an enemy tank which was firing on friendly forces, Staff Sgt. ...

A Jonesboro woman was killed and her two children were injured last Thursday in an apparent carbon monoxide poisoning at their home. According to published reports, last Thursday, a Jonesboro pastor, Adrian Rodgers received a telephone message from the woman, Conlisha L. ...

Tribune Staff Gary Anderson is a man who has served the people of his community for over 25 years. Anderson, 49, was born in Trumann. After graduating Trumann High School, Anderson went to work at Singer Company in the fire brigade. An opportunity arose for Anderson to become a full-time fire fighter in 1978 and he gladly accepted it...

The Pastor's Aide Committee of the Anderson Chapel M.B. church will be selling catfish plates on Saturday, Jan. 31 at the residence of Ms. Rosetta Perry at 302 Monroe St. in Marked Tree. The menu will consist of catfish, hushpuppies, close slaw, pickles, french fries, cake, and bread...

Tuesday, Jan. 21 Senior Boys Corning 79, Piggott 64 CRA 58, Rector 54 Earle 57, Turrell 54 EPC 50, Gosnell 35 Manila 47, Trumann 41 Marked Tree 62, Cross County 58 Osceola 76, Valley View 32 Rivercrest 73, Harrisburg 56 Riverside 63, Walnut Ridge 51...

Former Marked Tree senior boys basketball player Jeremy Bell received an honor Monday, as he was selected as the Jan. 26, 2004 Men's Basketball Player of the Week in the American Midwest Conference. Bell, a junior who plays for Williams Baptist College averaged 34.5 points per game in WBC's two games last week. ...