Stories from Friday, June 8, 2012

Larry Kennith Williams of Lepanto, died May 30, 2012, at SMC Baptist Medical Center in Osceola after a long illness. Mr. Williams was a retired police officer in Lepanto and Poinsett County. He loved his family, baseball and football. He was also a drag racing fan. Mr. Williams was born in Lepanto to Odie and Hassie Williams. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Mary Lou Metcalf...

STEELE, MO. - Mr. David Riddle, 66, of Steele, Mo., died Friday, June 1, 2012, at Baptist Memorial Hospital East in Memphis, Tenn. Mr. Riddle was born May 10, 1946, in Detroit, Mich., and had lived in Steele since 1976 and was formerly of Trumann and Jonesboro. He was a technician for Southwest Bell Telephone and a member of the Armorel Baptist Church...

LITTLE ROCK -- Mrs. Erma Dell (Foxy) Croft Smith left this ordinary life and went to be in "High Cotton" with her Savior on Wednesday, May 30, 2012. She was born Feb. 6, 1932, to the late James Hiram Croft and Clara Edwards in Greene County, Ark. Foxy was preceded in death by her husband Bobby Lee Smith and her son Gregory Dean Smith of Trumann, Ark...

A small group was present Saturday morning in Marked Tree for a dementia workshop put on by the Center on Aging Northeast. The workshop was led by Deborah Levins, Education Outreach Specialist, who said the program was free and was aimed at families dealing with family members who have dementia...

Mrs. Ruth Simpson retired recently after having taught in the Marked Tree School District for 46 years and seven years in Tyronza for a total of 53 years. A native of White Hall, she graduated from Philander Smith College in Little Rock, where she earned a BSE degree with both high school and elementary certification. Also, she took some graduate courses at Henderson State Teachers College in Arkadelphia and at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway...

Guy Beaird of Trumann, owner of Guy's Discount Center, suffered a fatal heart attack Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at his home. Beaird was born Jan. 25, 1926, in Lepanto, the firstborn son of John and Marvin Beaird, and spent his entire life in Poinsett County. He received his early education in Lepanto and Harrisburg, moving to Trumann in his junior year to be nearer his part-time job and his new girlfriend, Nida Bossert...

Trumann Lions Club members got a little lesson in state government when longtime State Representative Buddy Lovell spoke to the group Thursday, May 31. Lovell is term limited and is winding down his final term in the House. Lovell asked three questions of those in attendance. First he asked if anyone knew how many districts there are in Arkansas. There are 100 districts, he said, with each district over one percent of the county's population...

Gene Crouch of Harrisburg has spent 33 years of his life farming. This year, he and his family have been selected as Poinsett County's Farm Family of the Year. "He's a person who has an unusual eye and a talent for things," County Judge Charles Nix said. "I'm jealous. He's the type of guy who could take a screwdriver and a hammer and fix anything."...