Stories from Tuesday, February 14, 1995

Class sizes are growing, demand is increasing and students are actively pursuing the art of speaking another language. Foreign language classes are bigger now than ever before, said Coralie Robertson, Central High School Spanish teacher. "At Cape Central alone we have 594 students enrolled in Spanish and 836 total student enrollment in all three languages -- Spanish, French and Latin," she said. ...

JACKSON -- Students often say "Ask Mrs. Gregg. She knows everything." That's high praise for Diane Gregg the elementary school librarian for three Jackson schools. "I would like to think that I know something about many subjects," Gregg said. "More importantly, if I don't know an answer, I know how to find it."...

Cape Girardeau firefighters responded to 2,218 calls in 1994, more than half to assist residents with medical emergencies. In essence, the fire department doubled its workload in 1994, the first year of the first-responder system. "First responder" means the state has certified firefighters to lend assistance in a medical emergency. Some firefighters also are emergency medical technicians and paramedics, which requires significantly more training than the first-responder certification...

Savor each day. Stop and smell the roses. Make each day count. These are words that Don and Carolyn Ford live by. This Valentine's Day, the Fords celebrate more than just 26 years of marriage. They celebrate life. Last May, Don Ford was diagnosed with multiple myeloma -- cancer of the bone marrow. The words stopped the now 50-year-old cold. His father had died of colon cancer at age 58...

He brought flowers, a teddy bear, a diamond ring and professed his love in her history class. Would she share his life and be his bride? She was stunned by the question and flattered by the attention. With her professor tape recording and photographing the event, she whispered, "Yes."...

IT IS going to be a very sad day when Del Farm closes its doors. I will really miss all the people at Del Farm. REPLY: No decision has been made to close the store, because the proposed sale of National (owner of Del Farm) to Schnucks hasn't been completed. Besides, even if the sale is completes, Schnucks might keep the store open...

PERRYVILLE -- Wayne Moonier's special Valentine's Day message to his wife isn't tucked inside a red envelope. You can find it on Page 7B of today's Southeast Missourian. It might seem a showy display of affection, but Wayne doesn't mind. He wants to thank his precious wife of two years for making his life happy. He also wants to tell other single people that love can be found in the Southeast Missourian's Find-A-Friend column...

SIKESTON -- To a stranger,MDSU Buzz Ferrell doesn't seem like a hopeless romantic. He's a cowboy who specializes in calf-roping, runs a western wear shop and spends most of his free time in a saddle. He's rarely without a 10-gallon hat and cowboy boots, grinning widely and telling jokes in his thick southern accent...

SCOTT CITY -- Three retiring commissioners from the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority were honored during the Monday meeting of the port commission Plaques were presented to Fred Surman of Chaffee, who was just two months shy of eight years of service, and Joe Gambill of Cape Girardeau, who had to resign after being elected Cape Girardeau County associate commissioner...

The League of Women Voters will meet Thursday at Ponderosa Steak House. A program will be held on juvenile justice. Those who plan to eat prior to the meeting should arrive at 6 p.m. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Three speakers will discuss programs aimed at teens in Cape Girardeau...

PUXICO -- Funeral service for Richard L. Sebree of Puxico will be held at 1 p.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Puxico. The Revs. Ray Placher and Kenny Condray will officiate, with burial in Rock Hill Cemetery. Sebree, 69, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 1995, at Doctors' Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Henrietta V. Stone, 82, of Tamms, formerly of Cairo, died Monday, Feb. 13, 1995, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Dec. 31, 1912, in Tamms, daughter of Henry and Julia Gannon Minton. She first married Russell Bryden, who preceded her in death. She later married James O. Stone, who also preceded her in death...

SIKESTON -- Grace B. Sturgeon, 82, of Sikeston, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Sept. 25, 1912, in Marston, daughter of Charles Franklin and Goldia Jane Haynes Skalsky. She and James Dillard Sturgeon were married Nov. 30, 1932, in Sikeston. He died Nov. 17, 1983...

EAST PRAIRIE -- William O'Neal "Alabama" Morrison, 66, of East Prairie, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 1995, at East Prairie Nursing Center, following a brief illness. He was born July 12, 1928, in Alabama, son of Albert O'Dell and Emma Elizabeth Kirkland Morrison...

GLEN ALLEN -- Roberta Ann Kirkpatrick, 57, of Glen Allen, died Monday, Feb. 13, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 3, 1938, in Wickliffe, Ky., daughter of James A. and Esther Whitis Cargill. She and Charles Marvin Kirkpatrick were married Dec. 7, 1956. He died March 25, 1985...

CHARLESTON -- Martha McCormick, 87, of Fairdealing, formerly of Charleston, died Sunday, Feb. 12, 1995, at Doctors' Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born March 28, 1907, in Pollard, Ark., daughter of Henry and Mary Scheffler. She and Walter McCormick were married Oct. 4, 1925. He died Dec. 22, 1976...

BERTRAND -- Katie E. Stephenson Greer, 87, Bertrand Route 1, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 30, 1907, at Ponder, daughter of James Alexander and Minnie Docia Gibson Schlachter. She and Audie L. Stephenson were married in October 1922. He died in September 1961. She later married Ernest "Red" Greer in December 1974, who died in 1986...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Funeral service for Donald E. "Shorty" Thrower Sr. of Olive Branch will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo. Burial will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 11 a.m. to service time...

Lety Elizabeth Runnels, 77, of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, Feb. 13, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Feb. 24, 1917, in the Flatwoods community of Grassy, daughter of Jim and Bessie Cotner Sample. She and Glenn O. "Bunny" Runnels were married March 10, 1937...

Contrary to the past worries of Democratic political advisers, I think Dick Gephardt looks like a president. He stands tall and walks with a regal gait. His gaze is gracious, and his handshakes are warm. Indeed, his political liability isn't his personal appearance. His liability is what he says...

Pro-family groups are playing a prominent role in lobbying for the balanced budget amendment, whipping up support through fax alerts, computerized bulletin boards, and broadcasts on Christian radio and television. It is the liberals' worst nightmare: Sonny Bono and religious conservatives working together for fiscal responsibility...

There is a move afoot to scuttle a proposed tax-limit plan that would require Missourians to vote on any tax increase greater than $50 million. A Senate committee last week changed the proposal, which has been endorsed by Gov. Carnahan and the Farm Bureau. ...

A Southeast Missouri State University student has received a TG(USA) Corp. scholarship valued at $1,000. Senior Scott Stough, a management major from Cape Girardeau, is the TG(USA) scholarship recipient from Southeast Missouri State University's department of management. Stough, originally from Ohio, is currently involved in an internship at TG(USA) in which he works 20 to 30 hours a week...

Heather D. Crader of Whitewater has been awarded a Regents' Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 1995-95 academic year. The Regents' Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class and who have achieved an ACT score of 28 or SAT score of 1,160...

Five area students have received President's scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 1995-96 academic year. The President's Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who rank at least in the upper 20 percent of their high school class and score 25 on the ACT or 1,030 on the SAT. The scholarships also are awarded to students who are their class valedictorian or salutatorian and complete the core curriculum...

Second Lieutenant Scott McGaha was recently honored as the outstanding graduate of the military police officer basic training course at Ft. McClelland, Ala. McGaha was recognized for his outstanding leadership and academic performance. He was also one of the few officers who earned the German military efficiency badge. The award was presented by the German liaison officer at Ft. McClelland...

Northeast Missouri State University at Kirksville has announced the fall honor roll list. Students must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 to be placed on the list. Two area students earned perfect 4.0 grade-point averages, Carol Robinson, a junior majoring in biology, and Matthew Shivelbine, a freshman majoring in biology...

Three Cape Girardeau students have graduated with honors from the University of Missouri at Rolla. Steven John Renick graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in metallurgical engineering. Boyd Louis Denson graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering...

Bradley A. Halter of Cape Girardeau has been awarded a Presidents Scholarship and Boy's State Leadership Award to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 1995-96 academic year. The President's Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who rank at least in the upper 20 percent of their high school class and score 25 on the ACT or 1,030 on the SAT. The scholarships also are awarded to students who are their class valedictorian or salutatorian and complete the core curriculum...