Stories from Saturday, December 19, 1992

Typically, lawbreakers pay for their crimes by spending time in jail. Lightweight plea bargains and early prison releases for serious crimes send the wrong kind of message to criminals. The case of a Springfield murder this week raises questions about the system. ...

Given the kind of campaign he waged, not to mention the general interest and concern felt by millions of Missourians, the record of the state's next governor will unquestionably hinge on how well he succeeds in improving public education over the next four years...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Luebbers of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:46 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, 1992. Name, Bobby Joewyn. Weight, 8 pounds. Mrs. Luebbers is the former Laura Ebersohl, daughter of Norman and Fay Brainer of Benton. Luebbers is self-employed in construction, and is the son of Bob and Sylvia Luebbers of Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Eddie H. Ruesler, of Oak Ridge, died at Southeast Missouri Hospital Friday, Dec. 18, 1992. He was born Jan. 26, 1911, at Sedgewickville, son of Henry and Margaret Hart Ruesler. He was married Dec. 19, 1934, to Gertie Surface. She preceded him in death June 4, 1978...

BENTON -- Mildred Dockins, 78, Benton Route 1, died Friday, Dec. 18, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 21, 1914, in Reynolds County, daughter of John William and Etta Mabel Pinkley Gibbons. She and Perry Lee Dockins were married Aug. 28, 1965...

ADVANCE -- Anna Lou Weissenborn, 86, of Advance, died Friday, Dec. 18, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 18, 1906, at Dongola, daughter of Walter and Amanda Shell Murphy. She and Flavius Weissenborn were married Jan. 30, 1929, at Jackson...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Vesta C. Rider, 85, of Dongola, died Friday, Dec. 18, 1992, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born Oct. 2, 1907, at Dongola, daughter of Bona and Alice Earnhart Fisher. She and Ralph Rider were married Aug. 6, 1925. Rider was a member of First Baptist Church...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Evelyn Jordan, 62, of Savannah, Tenn., formerly of Ullin, died Thursday, Dec. 17, 1992, at Methodist Central Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. She was born Nov. 22, 1930, near Ullin, daughter of Elmer and Ruth Calvin Daniels. She married J.C. "Tiny" Jordan...

BLOOMFIELD -- Stella Mildred Elfrank, 85, of Danville, Ky., formerly of Bloomfield, died Thursday, Dec. 17, 1992, at the Friendship House in Danville. She was born Jan. 19, 1907, at Bell City, daughter of Thomas and Frances Morris Smith. She and James F. Elfrank were married Sept. 21, 1923. He died Jan. 12, 1973...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Lillie Jenkins, 98, of Dongola, died Tuesday, Dec. 15, 1992, at Fairfield Memorial Hospital in Fairfield. She was born Feb. 11, 1894, in Union County, daughter of John and Minerva Hartline Cauble. She married William Roscoe Jenkins, who died Nov. 23, 1969...

MOUNDS, Ill. Estle Marie Hornback, 82, of Mounds, died Thursday, Dec. 17, 1992, at Daystar Care Center in Cairo. She was born Aug. 14, 1910, in Graves County, Ky., daughter of Arthur and Erma Brown Merideth. She married Ted Hornback, who preceded her in death...

Robert Henry Foor., 71, 1210 N. Spanish, died Thursday, Dec. 17, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Sept. 4, 1921, in Louisa County, Iowa, son of Clinton and Marie Otto Foor. He and Betty R. Bailey were married Nov. 6, 1943, in Muscatine, Iowa...

WHITEWATER -- Clarence "Dick" Blumenberg, 85, of Whitewater, died Friday, Dec. 18, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 20, 1907, near Whitewater, son of George and Mary Willa Blumenberg. Blumenberg farmed in the area all his life, and was a lifelong member of Whitewater United Methodist Church...