Stories from Friday, March 31, 1995

To the editor: Peter Kinder's recent commentaries on public education have been, as I am certain he intended, both instructive and illuminating. Some of us, though, wish Kinder would try a little harder to exemplify the spirit of excellence in education, which he so obviously favors...

My Grandma Rust passed away on Wednesday. She used to make us oats with cinnamon-butter toast and orange juice in the mornings. Never did we leave the table with food still upon our plate, because elsewhere others were in need. Whenever Grandma was on a trip, she sent us postcards. Pictures of Las Vegas and Paris, Dallas and Little Rock. Grandpa collected matchbooks where ever he went, and Grandma gave them to me when he died...

An important piece of Cape Girardeau's history is being preserved with the formation of a museum at Old St. Vincent's Church in the downtown area. The historic church was founded in 1827, and the restored building is 142 years old. The church has been accepting donations of items to be displayed at the church. The response has been good. Bricks from the church's old school, scrapbooks, a portable communion kit, an old Latin missal and photographs are among the donated items...

One of the most imposing sights in San Francisco is the graceful Golden Gate Bridge with its sweeping spans crossing the entrance to the spectacular bay. In New York, the historic Brooklyn Bridge (across the East River) and the more modern George Washington Bridge (across the Hudson River) frame the urban setting of the country's largest city...

To the editor: The Southeast Missourian's coverage of the Impact America crusade was wonderful. Monday's editorial expressed so many of the thoughts that have been going through my mind and heart this past week. As I attended the crusade each evening, what I saw were fellow seekers who were humbly and sincerely trying to lift up Jesus Christ and trying to make a difference for good in our communities...

To the editor: I have just heard a minister speak the words from the Bible: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me." Those were the words Robert Dempster lived by. He contributed in every walk of life. He always helped the poor as well as he did the rich. His generosity, kindness and compassion are yet to be equalled. He knew no boundary...

Sandy Hodge has been on the receiving end of the Pedigo family's kindness so often, she felt compelled to reciprocate when the roles were reversed. Diane Pedigo, who was just released from the hospital after being involved in an accident last weekend, does not have adequate medical insurance to pay for all of her bills. Her daughter Sandy, 13, was killed when the van Diane Pedigo was driving went out of control when a tire blew out...

Dr. Christopher Jung of Cape Girardeau might soon have a new cross to bear: a large concrete cross off North Kingshighway. The Missouri Highways and Transportation Department is considering giving a small, 9-foot-wide section of land and the Cape La Croix Cross to the adjoining property owner, Jung...

Gordon Brookman was waiting when the Shoe Me Center doors opened at 5 a.m. Thursday. "There were some other people behind me," said Brookman, of Edgewater Glass. "But, we were the first booth to set up." Edgewater Glass was one of more than 120 home and garden dealers establishing exhibits for the 15th annual Southeast Missouri Home Builders Association Home & Garden Show, which opens at 3 today...

Jackson trucker Don Koeberl is believed to have died in his sleep at a truck stop in Arizona near the New Mexico line. Koeberl hadn't been heard from since March 11 when he loaded up with produce in Yuma, Ariz. Apache County sheriff's Sgt. Jim Morris said a deputy opened the door to Koeberl's truck Wednesday morning after employees at the truck stop reported the rig had been parked for several days...

The Show Me Center is taking on another new look, the third one this week. The big arena is beginning to look like a construction site for a miniature village as more than 100 businesses go about their way of building gallery-type rooms for displaying merchandise...

It is a long way, and a long time, from this week's Oscars to yesteryear's Saturday matinees in your favorite hometown. Remember what you could do with a quarter? For one thing, you could go to the Saturday matinee at the Melinda Theatre just off Main Street (ticket price: 10 cents) and get refreshments (Coke was 5 cents; popcorn was 5 cents). ...

IT IS a shame to take down that cross when it's not hurting a thing. If people don't like God, they can move out of the United States. Wake up, people of the United States. Let's put God back into our hearts where he belongs like it used to be. We've got people here in the United States who want to get Christ and God completely out of everything. ...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- A break in water lines from McClure to East Cape Girardeau created water problems for residents in the McClure-East Cape Girardeau Water District this week. The pipelines, which are on Illinois Department of Transportation property, were accidentally cut Monday by workers engaged in road construction along Routes 146 and 3...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education will meet tonight in closed session to evaluate the performance over the past year of superintendent, Dr. Neyland Clark. Board President Ed Thompson said the meeting was scheduled before Tuesday's election so the board can assess Clark's work...

Candidates for Cape Girardeau's school board said a lesson on outcomes based education, a buzzword in education reform, might be in order. Three of four candidates spoke at a forum Thursday night sponsored by Washington School. R. Ferrell Ervin couldn't attend because he was with his ailing mother...

The Cape Girardeau area chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons will meet Monday at 1:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center at Centenary United Methodist Church. Dolly Aubuchon will show slides of the cathedrals of Europe. Bob Harper, instructor for the 55 Alive-Mature Driving course, will accept enrollment applications for the course to be given April 20 and 21...

Wendy Maguire and her cohorts believe that when foreign teachers are brought into an American college classroom, students have a right to learn the material in clear English. Officials at Southeast Missouri State and the University of Missouri-Columbia said they already provide for that right with proficiency tests for graduate assistants who weren't brought up or didn't have access to an English-speaking background...

Gerald McDougall, dean of the Donald L. Harrison College of Business at Southeast Missouri State University, will be the featured guest on "University Conversations" Sunday. The 30-minute program will air at 7:30 p.m. on local cable access Channel 5...

Top winners for the 39th annual Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair were honored Thursday night. Robert Felker, a junior at Cape Central High School and Erica Morton, a senior at South Pemiscot High School in Steele both won trips to the international science fair...

CROWDER -- Manuel "Beachem" Bell, 60, of Crowder, died Wednesday, March 29, 1995, at his home, following an extended illness. He was born July 13, 1934, at Crosno, son of Manuel and Jessie Lee Brown Bell Sr. He and Mary Louise O'Dell were married Aug. 5, 1952...

GLEN ALLEN -- Charles Dry, 70, of Glen Allen, died Wednesday, March 29, 1995, at his home. He was born March 14, 1925, in St. Louis, son of Norval L. and Lillie Hendley Dry. He and Goldie Marie McIntyre were united in marriage Aug. 7, 1948. Dry was a retired assembly line worker with General Motors. He was a member of Glen Allen First Pentecostal Church and Trowell Masonic Lodge 440 in Marble Hill...

DEXTER -- Paul K. Terrill, 56, of Dexter, died Wednesday, March 29, 1995, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. He was born March 8, 1939, in Clarksville, Ark., son of William N. and Eva Emmaline King Terrill. He and Jeannette Davis were married June 13, 1962, near Essex...

JACKSON -- Benjamin F. "Ben" Peetz, 92, of Jackson, died Thursday, March 30, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 23, 1902, near Tilsit, son of William and Augusta Meier Peetz. He and Mae Sachse were married Aug. 1, 1937, at Old Appleton. She died July 12, 1985...

JACKSON -- Carl W. Abernathy, 79, of Jackson, died Thursday, March 30, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 9, 1916, in the Indian Creek community, son of Robert and Lela Singleton Abernathy. He first married Irene Hager Sept. 16, 1939. She died Dec. 12, 1957. He later married Shirley Kinder Oct. 30, 1964...

The country band Sawyer Brown will perform at the Show Me Center Thursday, April 27, in a 7:30 p.m. show. Also on the bill will be Mark Chesnutt and the California band Boy Howdy. Sawyer Brown is known for the hits "The Walk," "Some Girls Do," "The Dirt Road" and "Cafe on the Corner."...

The Southeast Missouri Hospital Association honored 10 organizations for promoting health care in the community by sponsoring or aiding in projects coordinated by the hospital. The special awards were presented during Wednesday night's annual dinner at the Show Me Center:...

James "J.O." Hunze, 81, 3301 Hopper Road, died Thursday, March 30, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home at Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Daughter to James and Tina Berghoff of Chaffee, Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, 10:51 a.m. Thursday, March 16, 1995. Name, Courtney Michelle. Weight, 7 pounds 2 ounces. Third child, first daughter. Mrs. Berghoff is the former Tina Eifert, daughter of Ronald and Phyllis Eifert of Chaffee. She is employed at Columbia Sportswear. Berghoff is employed at Spartech Compounding, and is the son of Leo and Hilda Berghoff of Kelso...

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Claude "Dude" Moore of Bloomfield will be held at 1 p.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter. The Rev. Kenneth White will officiate, with burial in Gravel Hill Cemetery. Moore, 78, died Wednesday, March 29, 1995, at Bloomfield Nursing Center...