Stories from Tuesday, March 2, 2004

Joe and Carol Waleszonia are a couple well known in the Trumann area for their commitment to excellence in education. They were recently selected by the Trumann Area Chamber of Commerce as Educators of the Year. The Waleszonias received the award at the chamber's annual banquet held on Jan. 21...

When a basketball team at any level puts 99 points on the scoreboard, 99 out of 100 times that team will come out on top. Unfortunately for the Bay Lady Yellowjackets, this was not one of the 99 times, as the Earle Lady Bulldogs played their best game of the season and outgunned the Lady Jackets in a heart-stopping 104-99 double overtime marathon Friday night at Marked Tree in the Region 4-AA Tournament...

Iva Celess Propes Roberts, 74, of Harrisburg died Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Jonesboro. Born at Harrisburg, she had worked at a shoe factory and a nursing home. She was a member of the Assembly of God. Survivors include two sons, Marlin Lee Roberts of Harrisburg and James Leory Roberts of Trumann; three daughters, Barbara Mullins and Margaret Smith, both of Harrisburg, and Rose McConnell of Monticello; one brother, Robert Propes of Mounds, Okla.; one sister, Ada Jennings of Jonesboro; 14 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.. ...

Funeral services for Lloyd Paul Brewer, 81, of Jonesboro, who died Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Regional Medical Center of NEA, were held Friday, Feb. 27, at Emerson Funeral Home Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Jim Rupard officiated, and burial followed in Jonesboro Memorial Park Cemetery...

Carolyn F. Hood, 44, of Trumann died Saturday, Feb. 21, in Trumann. Born in Union City, Tenn., she was a homemaker and was affiliated with Liberty Baptist Church in Payneway. Survivors include her husband, Jimmy Hood; two daughters, Stacy Mullins and Seena Mullins, both of Payneway; her mother, Robbie Montgomery of Trimble, Tenn.; a sister, Mary Mullins of Newbern, Tenn.; and four brothers, Chester Davis, Clydel Davis and Charles Davis, all of Newbern, and David Davis of Trumann...

Elsie Murrell Stone, 76, of Trumann died Friday, Feb. 27, at her home. Born in Dewitt, she was a homemaker and of the Pentecostal faith. Survivors include two daughters, Ovada Parrish of McCrory and Dorothy Sandavol of Dyess; four sons, William Stone of Jonesboro, James Stone of Trumann, David Stone of Dyess and John Stone of Russellville; 16 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren...

Gladys Bell Gairhan, 84, of Jonesboro died Tuesday, Feb. 24, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born at Daingerfield, Texas, she lived in Jonesboro and Bono most of her life and was a member of Old Enterprise Baptist Church. She was a homemaker. Survivors include a daughter, Martha Phillips of Jonesboro; a brother, Willie Joe Kilgore of Trumann; and two grandchildren, Ashley Phillips and Charity Phillips, both of Jonesboro...

Joe W. Gordon Sr., 87, of Trumann died Tuesday, Feb. 24, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born at Lepanto, he lived in Trumann for the last four years but spent most of his life in the Marked Tree area. He was a veteran of World War II and served as an air traffic controller in the Air Force...

Larry Morgan, 54, of Trumann died Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Trumann Nursing Center. He lived most of his life in the Jonesboro area, and for 12 years he lived in New York and Kansas. He was a master electrician and member of the Alsup Baptist Church...

The Trumann COPS for Kids Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled for Saturday, March 27. It will be in the city park across from Cedar Park Elementary. There will be prizes, food and fun. Volunteers are needed to help plan. Call Carin McClung at 870-483-6317...

The Hinsons will be performing at 7 p.m. on March 4 at the Church of God, 200 Diane Drive in Osceola. The Hinsons are known for songs like, "The Lighthouse," "Old Ship of Zion" and "Oasis" and they have won many gospel music awards. The public is invited to attend. For more information, call 870-563-6113...

It is finally time to open. After three years of work and new owners, the Days Inn located near the by-pass is almost ready for its grand opening. Bob Desai and Dan Das, owners, expect to open by the second week of March. The hotel will be managed by Kim Wren of Trumann. It has 54 rooms -- 48 rooms located outside the main building and six suites in the main building...

Vernon Terry and Van Mooneyham, both of Trumann, were arrested on Feb. 19 by Poinsett County Dep. Greg Whitlock. Both were charged with aggravated assault. The arrests were made after Deputy Whitlock was dispatched to 12958 Glascow Road in Trumann. The incident report said that Mooneyham was at the residence speaking with his ex-wife Judy Mooneyham, when Terry pulled up. ...

The Trumann Health and Rehabilitation Center, 333 Melody Drive in Trumann, offers many services to residents. A full range of therapy services are available to help restore the highest level of independence possible for each resident. The restorative programs offered can increase endurance in walking and wheelchair mobility, provide regular exercise and maintain joint mobility and increase the level of patient's independence with daily living skills...

The Trumann School Board approved budgets for the Ropes/Confidence Course for the JROTC program and the football budget for the 2004--2005 school year. A request from Tonya Russell to receive retirement was approved to be denied for her 23 years of service to the district...

The Bay Yellowjackets came into Wednesday night(s game of the Region 4-AA tournament at Marked Tree with every intention of knocking off the top-seeded Turrell Rockets of the -AA South Conference. But Irving Clay(s Rockets had ideas of their own. Both teams fought tooth and nail for four physical quarters before the Rockets came away with a hard fought 59-54 victory, ending the Jackets hopes of a trip to the state tournament ...