Stories from Friday, January 2, 1998

To the editor: "Squaring the circle" is the term used to describe the classical mathematical task of constructing a square equal in area to a circle of a given radius. In 1882, the task was rigorously proved to be impossible. That fact, though, did not prevent the state of Indiana from coming within a hair's breadth of passing a law in 1897 establishing an incorrect value of pi, the ration of a circle's circumference to its diameter. ...

One of Missouri's most liked and respected politicians was laid to rest this week. James C. Kirkpatrick, who served as secretary of state for two decades and who garnered more votes in his political career than any other official elected statewide, died at age 92...

As the start of the next session of the Missouri General Assembly approaches, state legislators in Southeast Missouri seem to agree on one topic: Missourians are due for some tax cuts. State Rep. David Schwab of Jackson goes even further. He predicts most legislators are in the mood for tax cuts...

One advantage of having small children in the house on Christmas morning is that adults never have to worry about oversleeping. This is the time of year when "Merry Christmas" is replaced by "Don't throw away the wrapping paper because I can use it next year."...

Trying not to reach for a cigarette or doughnut? Planning to start jogging 20 miles a week? If you made a New Year's resolution, you're not alone. At Universal Health and Fitness Center, Trish Kogge and her daughter Mary Richards worked out together on the treadmills Thursday...

Combating the growing problems of pet-overpopulation and animal abuse requires not only conviction and compassion, but assistance from a concerned public. Even as she issued an appeal for the public's help, Dorothy Morrison, administrator of the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, released preliminary 1997 figures showing an increase in both the number of animals taken in and the number of animals euthanized by the shelter...

Sandra Smoot scanned the crowd at Thursday's Kwanzaa celebration assessing the singing talent. She then picked musical pieces that would allow people in attendance to participate. "I believe in working with what you've got," said Smoot, the musical director at Second Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau...

An otherwise ordinary Christmas Day turned into a pageant of feathered performers right before our eyes. This is a true story. It's a Christmas story. Perhaps it needn't be told. Maybe you don't want to hear it. You might think it's too late for Christmas stories. Or you might suspect it's a made-up story. But it's not a made-up story. It's a true Christmas story. Ask my wife. Ask my brother. Ask my mother. They all saw it too...

Jim Hulshof School: Kelly Class: Junior Sport: Basketball Position: Shooting guard Coach: Kent Mangels Week report: The Hawks made their first appearance in the finals of the University High School Christmas Tournament since 1981 and Hulshof was one of several deserving players that led the way. ...

After struggling through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the University High School Christmas Tournament with narrow victories, the top-seeded Charleston Blue Jays didn't look like the overwhelming favorites most everyone expected heading into the championship game against second-seed Kelly...

BLOOMSDALE -- Angeline L. Basler, 86, of Kirkwood died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood. She was born June 23, 1911, at Bloomsdale, daughter of Joseph and Johanna Schilly Trautman. She and August H. Basler were married Nov. 11, 1934, at Bloomsdale. He died Nov. 19, 1990...

Funeral service for Arlie May Davis of Jonesboro, Ark., will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel. The Rev. Bill Benefield will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park. Friends may call at the chapel from 9 a.m. until service time...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Funeral service for Marie Rhodes of Jonesboro will be held at 1 p.m. today at Hileman and Parr Funeral Home in Jonesboro. Burial will be in Jonesboro Cemetery. Rhodes, 92, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, at Jonesboro Healthcare Center...

CAMPBELL -- Funeral service for Carl Eugene Dinkens, Campbell Route 2, will be held at 10 a.m. today at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Kennett. The Rev. Ethel Meyers will officiate, with burial in Memorial Gardens at Kennett. Dinkens, 74, died Monday, Dec. 29, 1997, at the VA Hospital in Memphis, Tenn...

CHAFFEE -- Clara Irene Vandeford, 81, of Chaffee died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1997, at Chaffee Nursing Center. She was born Jan. 21, 1916, near Arbor, daughter of Robert L. and Althia Wiseman Hitt. She first married William O. Holmes in 1937. He died in 1954. She and Ray J. Vandeford were married June 6, 1959. He died Oct. 20, 1988...

Funeral service for Carol Lavone Schmidt of Cape Girardeau will be held at 11 a.m. today at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Larry Gray will officiate, with entombment in Memorial Park Mausoleum. Schmidt, 60, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

JACKSON -- Margaret "Maggie" Bishop, 92, of Jackson died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, at the Jackson Manor Nursing Home. She was born Feb. 16, 1905, in Butler County, daughter of Troy M. and Mary Ann Moran Bullard Sr. She married Archie L. Bishop on Sept. 7, 1926, and he died Jan. 15, 1970...

SCOTT CITY -- Mary Magdalen McSwain, 79, of Scott City died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, at her home. She was born Dec. 22, 1918, at Kelso, daughter of Louis Anthony and Catherine Heisserer Burger. She married James L. McSwain on Jan. 1, 1941, at Kelso. He died Jan. 15, 1971...

ANNA, Ill. -- Ruel R. Hindman, 96, of Anna died Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998, at his home. He was born Dec. 9, 1901, near Campground Church, son of George and Florida Otrich Hindman. He married LaWanda Pygett at Anna in 1934. She died August 1968. He married Juanita Davis Aug. 28, 1971, at Union County. She survives...

ALTENBURG -- Norman E. Engert, 65, of Altenburg died Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. He was born Dec. 18, 1932, at Altenburg, son of Edwin and Amanda Schilling Engert. He married Gladys Lorenz on Oct. 22, 1955. She survives of the home...

Harry G. Heise Sr., 81, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Funeral arrangements are pending at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

Rubye Glenda Holmes, 91, of Cape Girardeau died at her home Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998. She was born Oct. 7, 1906 at Oak Ridge, daughter of Leo James and Jesse Kate Parmenter Bonney. She married Ralph A. Holmes, Sept. 10, 1927, in Perryville. He died May 1982...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Moran J. Hahn Sr., 77, of East Prairie, formerly of Charleston, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998, at his home. He was born Dec. 23, 1920, in Scott County, son of Solomon and Alma Compass Hahn. He lived most of his life in Mississippi County, where he was a self-employed carpenter...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Kathryn Welter, 69, died in her home in Mound City on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997. She was born in Charleston, Mo. on Nov. 28, 1928. She married Herbert Welter on April 24, 1947. He died Oct. 9, 1989. She was a homemaker and the daughter of John Calvin Johnson and Stella Christine (Scherer) Johnson...

Helen T. Clark of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, at Heartland Care Rehab Center in Cape Girardeau. Plans are pending at the Lorberg Funeral Home.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Audrey Lentz, 92, of Cairo died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1997, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky. She was born May 7, 1905, in Sedalia, Mo., daughter of William and Mabel Batty Edwards. She married Robert E. Lentz, who died in 1971. Lentz was a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Normal. ...

JACKSON -- A Memorial Mass for Evelyn Marie Parker of St. Joseph will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Msgr. Edward Eftink will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the church from 8:30 a.m. until service time...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral service for Katherine M. MacNutt of O'Fallon, Ill., was held Monday at Pete Gaerdner Funeral Home in Belleville, Ill. The Rev. G.E. Switzer officiated, with burial in Lake View Memorial Gardens in Fairview Heights, Ill. MacNutt, 26, died Thursday, Dec. 25, 1997, at her home...

Funeral Mass for Esther Lancaster of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10 a.m. today at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Msgr. Richard Rolwing will officiate, with burial in St. Mary's Cemetery. Lancaster, 85, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1997, at Heartland Care Rehab Center...

LIBERTY -- Gertrude Mary Unterreiner, 83, died Monday, Dec. 29, 1997, at Liberty Hospital in Liberty. She was born Nov. 15, 1914, at Silver Lake, daughter of Marion and Mary Tucker McLain. She married Edmund H. Unterreiner on May 12, 1934, at St. Louis. He died Dec. 13, 1981...

BENTON -- A Scott County woman suffered serious injuries Thursday morning in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 77. Stephanie Hudson, 23, of Benton was taken to Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. The driver of the other vehicle, Richard Garrett, 33, of Marston, suffered minor injuries. He was taken to Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

Daughter to Douglas and Teresa Hartmann of Minneapolis, Minn., Fairview-Riverside Hospital in Minneapolis, 2:26 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, 1997. Name, Emma Swartz. Weight, 8 pounds 15 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Hartmann is the former Teresa Swartz, daughter of Charles and Chiyoko Swartz of Temple City, Calif. ...