Stories from Tuesday, May 12, 1998

NEW HAMBURG -- Sherry Bollinger fulfilled a long-awaited dream when she began teaching four years ago. Now a mother and grandmother of two, Bollinger had married young and was unable to graduate high school with her class. After many years, however, she obtained her GED and received a scholarship to Southeast Missouri State University, from which she later graduated with a teaching degree...

Kristen Tallent has made it her mission to encourage smiles. "I guess I've always been taught to help people," she said. "And I like to see people smile." Tallent is a senior at Cape Girardeau Central High School. She volunteers with Renaissance, a program designed to encourage school spirit. She is president of the senior class...

When someone gets teased on the school bus, Aysha Hency intercedes. When someone falls down on the playground, she summons the nurse. When someone needs help with school work, Hency offers assistance. In fact, the 12-year-old Hency is always ready to help...

Share your kind acts at 334-8997. Key to kindness Debbie Patterson reported a kind clerk at Penny Pincher, 1004 William St. When Patterson locked her keys in the car, Laura Kennedy helped her get the door open. "She was very determined to get the keys out for me. She really helped me that day. And thanks to her, I wasn't late for work," Patterson said. "I didn't know her before this, but now I've got a new friend."...

At 15, Chris Wise has already learned the value of service. This Cape Girardeau ninth grader can be found each Saturday at St. Francis Medical Center, volunteering in the emergency and outpatient areas. Since he started last June, he has logged more than 340 hours...

The first Southeast Missouri State University Edward M. Spicer Memorial Mentor of the Year award has been presented to Dr. Thomas Wallgren, Southeast assistant professor of computer science. The newly created award is designed to recognize persons who demonstrate the qualities of an extraordinary mentor...

Loren Coker doesn't know where or even what Saipan is, nor does she really care. She isn't interested in the street layout of Washington, D.C., and she doesn't care about what the weather was last Christmas in Great Falls, Mont. What did peak Loren's interest when she awoke from her nap at Kid's World Kare Center Monday afternoon was the knowledge that it was her turn to take Cinnabear home for a stay over...

The bad boy of the Internet is probably chat. While some of the bad reputation is deserved, chat has some redeeming value. Just remember, in chat you are basically anonymous and so are the people you talk to. For many people this is what is appealing about chat. It's also what can be dangerous...

The city might consider operating the restaurant at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport if efforts to attract a private operator are unsuccessful. Getting a new restaurant in the airport is one of the Airport Advisory Board's top priorities for the 1998-99 fiscal year, board members said, and adding a restaurant would help increase traffic at the airport...

Telephone giant SBC Communications Inc. will purchase Baby Bell rival Ameritech Corp. for $57 billion in a stock-swap deal to be the second-largest merger in corporate history. The deal, announced Monday, would create a powerhouse communications company with operations in nearly every region of the country...

Cheers filled the hallways of Franklin Elementary School Monday afternoon, followed by choruses of "Thank You." First it was kindergarten, then second grade, then sixth grade. Within a few minutes everyone joined in. The thank-yous were to Southeast Missouri Hospital, the school's neighbor to the north...

Old, new and future Central High School alumni were on hand Monday to see the first school flag raised and flown over the school. Board of Education members, administrators, faculty and elementary school students joined Central graduates from the 1950s through 1990s to watch the flag raising, which took place during an all-school assembly on the front lawn. ...

Ever since the office began talking about Random Acts of Kindness week, I've been trying to think of a nice thing to do for someone else. Then, I realized that if I planned the kind act, it wouldn't necessarily be random. The point behind a random act of kindness is that it's completely unexpected, and often undeserved...

Southeast Missouri State University's executive vice president, Dr. Ken Dobbins, is a finalist for a top administrative job with the University of Missouri System. Dobbins heads up Southeast's finance and administration division. He is one of three finalists for a similar job as vice president for finance and administration for the University of Missouri System...

Southeast Missouri State University has released the names of three athletic director finalists who will be making visits to Cape Girardeau in the upcoming weeks. The three candidates are Robert Mullen, former athletic director at La Salle University in Philadelphia; Paul Bubb, director of athletics at Cal State Northridge; and Bobby Thompson, director of athletics, intramurals and recreation at the University of Texas at San Antonio...

JACKSON -- Notre Dame's golf team tied for second at Monday's Class 2A, District 1 golf meet at Bent Creek Golf Course and thereby qualified for next week's 2A state meet in Columbia. Arcadia Valley, led by a 4-under par by standout Janszen Ringo, won district with a 326 total, six strokes ahead of Notre Dame and Kennett...

The Ohio Valley Conference is in the process of investigating the altercation that took place between players and fans during the OVC baseball tournament held Thursday through Saturday in Cape Girardeau. Just moments after Morehead State's 10-9 loss to host Southeast Missouri State Thursday night, several Morehead players and a group of fans became involved in an altercation...

The starting times for this weekend's best-of-three NCAA play-in baseball series between Southeast Missouri State University and Southern University, to be played at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau, were officially set Monday. Southeast and Southern will square off at 6 p.m. Friday in the series opener, then play again at 1 p.m. Saturday. A third game, if needed, would also be played Saturday, approximately 30 minutes after the completion of the 1 p.m. contest...

DEXTER -- In a game that was suspended Saturday and completed Monday, Cape Girardeau Central High's baseball team beat Dexter 6-0 behind Tatum Kitchen's one-hitter. When the game was halted because of rain Saturday in the second inning, Central (16-6) led 3-0. The Tigers added single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings Monday...

ANNA, Ill. -- Vesta Wright Sorrels, 92, of Anna died Monday, May 11, 1998, at the Herrin Hospital in Herrin. Visitation will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Crain Funeral Home in Anna. Funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Ollie Leon Bryan of East Prairie died Sunday, May 10, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was 60. He was born June 5, 1937, in Coal Hill, Ark., son of the William J. and Viola L. Howe Bryan. They preceded him in death...

SIKESTON -- Betty Louise Day of Sikeston and formerly of Charleston died Sunday, May 10, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was 68. She was born April 13, 1930, in Chicago, Ill., daughter of Emil and Myrtle Patterson Thieman. She married David E. Day Feb. 17, 1951. He died Nov. 12, 1984...

BELLAIRE, Texas -- Herman Piepebrok, 81, of Bellaire died April 29, 1998, at his home. He was born Oct. 23, 1916, at Weimer, Texas, son of the late Rev. and Mrs. Paul Piepenbrok. He married Emma G. Stewart on March 21, 1941. She survives. He worked for Superior Oil Co. for 47 years as an accountant and auditor...

SIKESTON -- Lena A. Harris, 103, of Hunter Acres Caring Center, formerly of 110 School St. in Sikeston, died Sunday, May 10, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Dec. 23, 1894, at Bridgeport, Neb., daughter of Virgil and Elizabeth Clement Cradit...

BLOOMFIELD -- Marguerite Stafford, 82, of Bloomfield died Sunday, May 10, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 7, 1916, at Aquilla, daughter of George and Beryl Asbell Cook. She married the Rev. Don Stafford in July 1933. He died Sept. 17, 1982...

Graveside service for Juavata J. Morris of Cape Girardeau was held Sunday at Union Park Cemetery in Chaffee. The Rev. Dale McKenzie officiated. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Chaffee was in charge of arrangements. Morris, 67, died Saturday, May 9, 1998, at her home...

CHARLESTON -- Graveside service for Pauline Virginia Walker of Charleston will be held at 10 a.m. today at Armer Cemetery south of Bertrand. Her son, Paul Walker, will officiate. McMikle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Walker, 81, died Sunday, May 10, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

CHARLESTON -- Gladys Velma Brown, 91, of Brawley, Calif., died Thursday, May 7, 1998, at Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley. She was born Oct. 1, 1906, in Mississippi County, daughter of Fate and Arilda Miller. She and Jewell Brown were married June 7, 1940. He died Aug. 27, 1995...

ADVANCE -- Minnie Long, 97, died Monday, May 11, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 22, 1900, in Bollinger County, daughter of Jacob and Mellie Welker. She and Bland Long were married May 23, 1918, in Bollinger County. He died Aug. 14, 1966...

SIKESTON -- Wilson B. "Moon" Godwin, 81, of Sikeston died Monday, May 11, 1998, in the Emergency Room at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born Oct. 29, 1916, in Jackson, son of Tom and Stella Ramsey Godwin. He and Peggy Ackman were married June 24, 1939, in Cape Girardeau. She died Nov. 16, 1992...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Elsie Mae Abel, 77, of Olive Branch died Monday, May 11, 1998, at Meridian Manor Nursing Home in Mounds. She was born March 15, 1921, in Alexander County, daughter of Jasper Elijah and Mary Lee Plyler Dunn. She married John Wesley Abel, who died in 1983...

GLEN ALLEN -- James Earl Wilson, 73, of Glen Allen died Monday, May 11, 1998, at Farmington Manor in Farmington. He was born Dec. 21, 1924, in Weir, Miss., son of William W. and Mary E. Knight Wilson. Wilson retired as a welder with Wabash Railroad...

ADVANCE -- Paul R. Propst, 62, of Advance died Monday, May 11, 1998, at his home. He was born Aug. 27, 1935, in Advance, son of Albert and Alberta Phillips Propst. He and Lena Asher were married in March 1959 in Poplar Bluff. Propst was a retired mechanic and farmer...

DEXTER -- Wanda Bernice Prunty of Dexter died Monday, May 11, 1998, at her home. She was 69. She was born Dec. 9, 1928, in Montana, Ark., daughter of the late William N. and Eva Emmaline King Terrill. She married Vanis Prunty in Clarksville, Ark., on Sept. 13, 1946. He died Oct. 23, 1970...

SIKESTON -- Dorothy Cox, 58, of Sikeston died Friday, May 8, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 10, 1939, in Banks, Miss., daughter of Henry and Caroline Johnson. Cox was a member of St. John's Missionary Baptist Church...

ALTENBURG -- Willard L. Steffens of Altenburg died Monday, May 11, 1998, at his home. He was 78. He was born Oct. 20, 1919, in Altenburg, son of Rudy R. and Lydia Pilz Steffens. They preceded him in death. He married Amanda C. Detjen May 11, 1947. She survives...