Stories from Thursday, November 30, 2006

A new ball field dominated the discussion last Tuesday night as the Lepanto City Council met in regular session. Architect Perry Carter designed plans for the field which would be located across the street from Lepanto if all goes as planned. Carter said the estimated cost for an adult softball field is $80,000 with lights. He suggested the city raise the funds but seek grants to help pay for some of the cost. Of course, the city must also consider budget and tax concerns...

Troy McDaniel, 68, died Thursday, Nov. 23. He was a longtime resident of Marked Tree, a member of Refreshing Springs Church of God and Christ and was a retired farm worker. Survivors include his sister, Lena Mae Hopkins of Parkin; five daughters, Debra Davis of Little Rock, Tolisha of Chicago, Ill. ...

Billy Ray Rudd, 31, of Vilonia died in a one vehicle accident on Nov. 22, 2006. He was the son of Bill and Lynda Rudd of Weiner and Vilonia. He leaves behind one daughter, Shelby Paige Rudd; three siblings: Scott Rudd of Oklahoma City; Josh Rudd of Hot Springs and Wendi Marshall of Jacksonville; numerous aunts, uncles cousins and special friend Danielle Bornhort of Gravel Ridge...

Edgar "Jerry" Wyrick, 58, of Marked Tree died Nov. 18, 2006 at the VA Hospital in Memphis. Born in Dyess, Wyrick was the manager of the auto stop. He was an army veteran of the Vietnam war and of the Pentecostal faith. He was preceded in death by his parents, Buster Wyrick and Flossie Yearber...

Reba Jean Eldridge, 47, of Tyronza died Wednesday, Nov. 15 at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. She was a member of the Upper Room Apostolic Church in Tyronza. Survivors include her husband Clyde Eldridge of Tyronza; one son, Jamie Eldridge of Tyronza; two daughters, Amber Coble of Bristol, Tenn. and Heather Eldridge of Kesier; one brother, Fred Drew of Marked Tree and two grandchildren whom she loved very much...

William Nathaniel "Nathan" Mayfield, 79, of St. Louis, Mo. died Sunday, Oct. 15 at Missouri Veteran's Home. Born at Delmar, Ala. to William H. and Margie (Harper) Mayfield, he was a resident of Lepanto from about 1938 through 1950. Nathan was a member of Operating Engineers Local #513 for more than 50 years and a 42 year member of the Church of Christ in Arnold, Mo. ...

Gladys Pauline Perkins, 90, of Marked Tree, passed away Nov. 8 at Three Rivers Nursing Home in Marked Tree where she had been a resident for nine years. Born Wednesday, Oct. 11, 1916 in Detroit, Ala. to the late John Alvin Rye and Maude Chandler Rye. The Rye family later moved to the Tyronza area. There Gladys met and married the life of her life, Chester Perkins...

Cody Kirby, star quarterback for the Rogers Mounties, came within 4.4 seconds of leading his team to an undefeated season and a state championship of the state's largest division. A 34-yard field goal by Fort Smith Southside with those few seconds remaining gave the Rebels a 23-22 victory over the Mounties...

Four Power lifters from Arkansas participated in the WABDL World Power Lifting Championship in Las Vegas recently. Three of those lifters, Eddie Morgan, Tom Morgan and Mauri Cole are from Jonesboro and Eddie Morgan is a teacher at Trumann. The fourth Arkansas was Austin Webb of Fort Smith...

Lena Collier, 93, of Trumann died Friday, Nov. 24, at Three Rivers Nursing Center in Marked Tree. She was a member of Anderson Tully Baptist Church and was preceded in death by her husband William Travis Collier. Survivors include her son, Miles Collier of Trumann; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren...

Rebecca Lyn Atchley, 56, of Marked Tree died Nov. 21, 2006 at her residence. Born in Joiner, she was a homemaker and of the Pentecostal Faith. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence Raymond Hold and Eileen Cavitt; two sons, Jackie Ray Atchley and Kevin McDonald; and one brother, Wesley Holt...

The Marked Tree Museum and the Library will hold their annual bake sale and silent auction from 9 a.m. -- 12 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the meeting room between the museum and the library. There will be nice items available. Some items include boxes of candy, a Mickey Mouse phone, savings bonds, large pizza gift certificates, baby quilt, haircut and perm, manicure, Wal-Mart gift certificates, gas gift certificate, pet food and McDonald's gift certificates. ...

The November meeting of the Lamp City Red Hatters was fun for everyone. Annette Lee and Kitty Bridges hosted the meeting. They are the only pink hat ladies in the Lepanto chapter. Ladies less than 50 years of age are required to wear pink and lavender while ladies older than 50 wear red and purple...

The following books are now available at the Marked Tree Library: Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts, The Hunt for Sonya Dufrette by R.T. Raichev, Love Song for a Raven by Elizabeth Lowell, Dark Harbor by Stuart Woods, Dead and Loving It by Davidson and Rounding the Mark by Andrea Camilleri...

The Tyronza Christmas Parade will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 in downtown Tyronza. Lineup for participants will begin at 5 p.m. in front of the elementary school. A first place traveling trophy will be awarded for the best float. The city will also hold a best decorated house contest. The judging is set for Dec. 16. The first place winner will receive $75, second place will win $50 and third place will receive $25...

Board members moved quickly through the agenda Monday night as the Marked Tree School Board met for its regular monthly meeting. The school's lack of a sick day policy dominated most of the short meeting's discussion. The discussion was generated by a request from one school employee to transfer sick days to another employee. For the board, the issue was not about the individual request but rather the frustration over not having a sick day policy in place...

Replacing an old fire truck for the Tyronza Volunteer Fire Department was one of several items discussed by the Tyronza City Council at the regular monthly meeting last Tuesday. The 1979 model fire truck, according to Fire Chief Jerry Organ, is outdated and needs to be replaced...

The Marked Tree PTA is currently collecting empty ink cartridges to raise money for a handicap accessible playground in memory of Rhonda Hawkins. By participating in the Staples Recycle for Education, the PTA not only raises money for the Marked Tree School, but also helps the environment by recycling. Staples will pay the Marked Tree PTA $3 for each eligible cartridge...

The Church of Jesus Christ, Hwy 14 West in Payneway, is hosting a two night revival. Services will start at 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2. Evangelist is Gerald Wade from Boonsville, Miss. For more information contact, church pastor Ruth Wade at 870-483-5470...

The Marked Tree Indians (9-2) had the number of every team it met this year as it plowed through the 2A-3 conference. Unfortunately, though, it turned out that while the Tribe could handle everything from Bulldogs to Thunderbirds, Hornets turned out to be their Achilles heel...