Stories from Saturday, August 27, 2011

Maddie Mae and her favorite toy: a tennis ball.

The start of construction of the $10.5 million Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority on the Mississippi River, east of Scott City, moved a bit closer this week; site exploration crews from the St. Louis Army Corps of Engineers are taking core samples of the earth beneath the site of the slack water harbor and port facility; construction of the facility is set to begin next spring...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Lester William "Mouse" Shell Jr., 67, of Marble Hill died Monday, Aug. 22, 2011, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at White Oak Baptist Church in Glenallen, Mo., with the Rev. Ray Meeks officiating...

Virginia Ruth Niswonger, 90, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Advance, Mo., died Friday, Aug. 26, 2011, at the Lutheran Home. She was born April 13, 1921, in Millersville, to William F. and Minnie Turner Niswonger. Virginia was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson...

Sarah Frances "Sallie" Bradley, 94, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Anna, Ill., died Friday, Aug. 26, 2011, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Aug. 14, 1917, in Union County, daughter of Harry and Monica Wiggins Treece. She and James Bradley were married Aug. 6, 1941, in Jackson...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Donald J. Turner, 79, of Cairo died Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Aug. 28, 1931, to the late Joseph M. and Vada Kessler Turner. His stepfather, Clifford Young, also preceded him in death...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Linda Faye Lawrence, 76, of Dexter departed this life Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. She was born Nov. 14, 1934, in Hornersville, Mo., daughter of the late Hugh W. and Mildred Gowan Parks. She and Jimmie G. Lawrence were married March 27, 1955, at Grayridge, Mo...

June Elizabeth Hayes, 48, of Scott City died Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011, at her home. She was born Sept. 23, 1962, in Flint, Mich., to Albert Snowden and Virgie Marie Neldon Hayes. Survivors include six children, Joe Hood, Lance Patrick Jr., John Patrick, twins Thomas and Laura Patrick, Jerry Patrick, all of Scott City; three brothers, Tom, Jerry and John Hayes, all of Benton, Mo.; two sisters, Carla Hayes of Scott City and Joyce Hayes of South Carolina...

Melodee Sherree McCanless, 49, passed away Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011, at her home in Oak Ridge. She was born May 19, 1962, in Portland, Ore., to Charles Scott and Sherree Stephens. She and Terry McCanless were married Feb. 29, 1984, in Orlando, Fla. They were blessed with two sons...

PERKINS, Mo. -- Christine A. Senciboy, 89, of Perkins died Friday, Aug. 26, 2011, at the family home. She was born Nov. 17, 1921, in the Texas Bend community of Mississippi County, Mo., to Clement O. and Martha Emma Gibbear Scheffer. She and Truman Senciboy were married Jan. 24, 1948...