Stories from Sunday, January 12, 1992

There is no subtler, nor surer, means of overturning the existing basis of society than to debauch the currency. The process engages all hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and does it in a manner that no man in a million is able to diagnose...

What we have every right to ask from a city government is a prudent expenditure of taxpayer dollars, a solid foundation of daily municipal operation and a reasonable measure of vision about where the community is going. Taken in all its measure, this balancing act is difficult to perform. Regarding growth and its potential in the city of Cape Girardeau, our observation is that there is some success worth noting...

PERRYVILLE -- Louis B. Berkbigler, 81, of Perryville, died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992, at Perry County Hospital. He was born March 1, 1910, in Bollinger County, son of Jacob and Mary Baudendistel Berkbigler. He and Cleo M. Weinkein were married Nov. 25, 1947...

JACKSON -- The College of Education at Southeast Missouri State University is offering a one-hour course at Orchard Drive Elementary School on teaching math and science in elementary schools for students with exceptional characteristics. The class will be taught on Feb. 1 from 8 a.m.-noon and on Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 3:30-6:30 p.m...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education will consider a recommendation to rescind its Sunday practice policy. The board will meet Monday at 4:30 p.m. at 61 N. Clark. A closed session is planned at the start of the meeting. The board is also scheduled to discuss the upcoming school board election...

"Rollin' Down the River" is the theme for this year's American Cancer Society Gala. The dinner dance will be held at the A.C. Brase Arena Building Feb. 29 from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Guests will be greeted by Jesse Padgett playing banjo. The evening includes cocktail-style dining, featuring bite-sized foods catered by Port Cape from 7-10 p.m., a cash bar, dance music by ELS from New Orleans, games, auctions and a cash raffle drawing...

The boards of directors of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Commerce and Growth Association have unanimously endorsed a proposal to increase the state gas tax by 6 cents. The revenue would be used to match additional federal money available from a new highway bill and would fund a massive list of road improvement projects over the next 15 years. The plan was unveiled last week by the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department...

PERRYVILLE - Officials in Perry County are seeking approval by the Missouri General Assembly this year to give voters an opportunity to approve a 1-cent sales tax to fund a 4,000 acre lake. The legislation would also give Perry County voters the power to establish an administrative authority to oversee maintenance and development of the lake...

When all was said and done, the best thing about it was coming home. "Getting to come home was like a dream. It took awhile for it to sink in that I wouldn't be sleeping in a sleeping bag in the desert anymore," said Chris McNeely of Cape Girardeau, a Marine who spent seven months in the Middle East. Some of that time was spent as an artillery man on the front lines in Kuwait...

A garden seminar, sponsored by the Jackson Men's Garden Club, can give gardeners in the Cape Girardeau area a head start on the 1992 growing season. Club officials have announced that a one-day seminar will be held on Feb. 19, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Vocational-Technical School...

More than a half-million dollars was raised during the 1991 Area Wide United Way Campaign in Cape Girardeau County, the largest amount donated to the agency in its 37-year history. Results of the campaign were announced Friday during the Area Wide United Way annual meeting and awards luncheon in Cape Girardeau...

Martin Luther King Jr., slain leader of the civil rights movement, will be remembered at Southeast Missouri State University and throughout the community during several special events scheduled Monday through Jan. 31. The theme of this year's events is "Reclaiming the Dream."...

One of the organizers of an ecumenical worship service celebrating the life of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. says he hopes the event will foster better race relations in Cape Girardeau. "This is a way of building a bridge (between races) in a very positive kind of way," said the Rev. Craig Nessan of St. Mark Lutheran Church. He is one of the organizers of the service...

CHAFFEE -- James "Buck" Foeste, 70, of Chaffee died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992, at his home. He was born Jan. 31, 1921 in Cape Girardeau, the son of Fred and Callie Barnes Foeste. He was a member of the U.S. Navy, retiring in 1964 after 22 years of service. He served during World War II and the Korean War...

The Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau will hold its quarterly membership meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in the meeting room at Chateau Girardeau. Arthur Mattingly, professor of historic preservation at Southeast Missouri State University, will show slides of the interior and exterior of Thomas Jefferson's home, and will discuss its restoration...

ANNA, Ill. -- Collin W. Lingle, 76, of Anna, died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born Jan. 27, 1915, at Anna, son of Gerald and Meffie Davis Lingle. He and Betty Lightner were married March 22, 1940...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Joint funeral service for Elizabeth S. "Betty" and Richard L. "Richie" Gibbs, Jonesboro Route 1, will be held at 2 p.m. today at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro. The Revs. Eric Wizard, Bob Easton, Verlee Eaker and A.W. Landis will officiate, with burial in Jonesboro Cemetery...

Oliver J. Thomson, 82, of 1221 Bloomfield Rd., Cape Girardeau, died Saturday night, Jan. 11, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

DELTA - Dora W. Hector, 92, of Delta, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 1992 at Cape LaCroix Care Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Helen K. Porritt, 85, of Champaign, Ill. and formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday Jan. 10, 1992. She was born Dec. 31, 1906 in Indianapolis, Ind., the daughter of Guy Kuykendall and Winnie Murphy Kuykendall. She was married to Julian Franklin Porritt on Sept. 1, 1929 at Carbondale. He died on Dec. 24, 1973...

SIKESTON -- Becky Beatrice Wheetley, 85, of Sikeston died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992 at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born Dec. 8, 1906 at Doniphan, the daughter of Robert and Annie Decker Payne. She married Edward Wheetley, who preceded her in death Oct. 11, 1962...

PERRYVILLE - Maura Adair, 63, of Fort Worth, Tex., formerly of Perryville, died Saturday at her home. She was born in Perryville on Feb. 14, 1928, to Edward L. and Stella A. Bass Brewer. On Nov. 27, 1948, she married Charles R. Adair. Survivors include her mother, Stella Bass of Perryville; one son, Robin Adair of Fort Worth, Tex.; three brothers, Louis Brewer of Carbondale, Ill., Albert J. Brewer and Dennis C. Brewer, both of Perryville...

BENTON -- Michael N. Dirnberger, 95, of Benton Route 1, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 1992 at the Cape Girardeau Nursing Center. He was a farmer in the Benton and New Hamburg communities all his life. He was born Sept. 23, 1896 near New Hamburg, the son of Andrew and Catherine Dannenmueller Dirnberger...

CHARLESTON -- Laura Pemberton, 80, of Charleston died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Feb. 4, 1911 in Ripley County, the daughter of Dr. George and Susan Spencer Belcher. She had lived in Mississippi County since 1937 and was a member of South Side Baptist Church in Charleston...

MARBLE HILL -- Grace M. Davault, 82, of Marble Hill. died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992, at Bond Nursing Care Center in Marble Hill. She was born at Scopus on Dec. 20, 1909, the daughter of James Monroe and Minnie Smith Nanney. On Sept. 14, 1927, she married Roy Davault. He survives of Marble Hill...

GORDONVILLE -- Charles E. Hennecke, 53, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1992. He was born April 17, 1939, near Gordonville, son of Walter and Hazel Hennecke. He attended Oak Ridge High School, and retired from the U.S. Air Force...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Robert S. Hatcher, 86, of Cairo, died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992 at Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, Tenn. He was a retired clerk for the Illinois Central Railroad, a member of the First United Methodist church and the Brotherhood of Railroad Clerks...

SIKESTON -- Hulett V. Yates, 82, of Sikeston, died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born Nov. 1, 1909, at Kuttawa, Ky., son of Oscar Turner and Maggie Smith Yates. He and LaVerne Vinson were married May 25, 1940, at Sikeston...

BERTRAND -- Funeral service for Mamie Azilee Sweet Birdsong of Bertrand was held Saturday at Shelby Funeral Chapel in Charleston. The Rev. Lee Fransler officiated, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery at Sikeston. Birdsong, 73, died Thursday, Jan. 9, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for William C. Massey of Bloomfield was held Saturday at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Harold Ferrell officiated, with burial in Walker Cemetery near here. Massey, 91, died Thursday, Jan. 9, 1992, at his home. He was born Dec. 29, 1900, in Dekalb, Miss., son of William and Vallie Jackson Massey. He and Edith Henley were married Sept. 13, 1927...

MATTHEWS -- Elmer L. Marcus, 84, of Matthews, died Friday, Jan. 10, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Nov. 15, 1907, at Kewanee, son of John and Hanna Early Marcus. He and Masil Sowell were married Sept. 17, 1932, at Kennett...

JACKSON - Leonard F. Sander, who is starting his 16th year as 1st District associate commissioner of Cape Girardeau County, has announced plans to seek a ninth two-year term this year. A lifelong resident of the Jackson area with more than 30 years business experience in that community, Sander said he plans to file as a Republican candidate on Tuesday. The 1st District includes Jackson, the outcounty area, and Ward 17 in the city of Cape Girardeau...

PERRYVILLE -- Parent-To-Parent is sponsoring a program entitled "Stress Management for Parents With Special Needs Children" Wednesday at the Perry County Memorial Hospital classroom. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. Topics for the session will include:...

Head Frog of Rustling Brook is one of my fictitious characters. Sometimes he even gets into print by publishers with a kindred spirit. He lives in the Rustling Brook that runs through the Grassy Meadow nearby the Deep Forest, all of which faintly resemble brooks, meadows, woods and frogs I have known...

Comic book collector Anthony Boyce, like many enthusiasts, monitors the comic book price guide like investors follow stock market reports, checking how his illustrated investments are faring. Boyce, 27, of Cape Girardeau, has been collecting comic books since he was five years old. He is among thousands of comic book collectors nationwide...

A Cape Girardeau Central High School 1950s Class Reunion Committee meeting will be held Thursday at Papa D's Restaurant. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. A reunion of the classes from 1950 through 1959 is being planned for 1993. Anyone who graduated during this time period is invited to attend the planning meeting...

A few jobs were lost in Cape Girardeau County during the final quarter of 1991, but thanks to a surge in new retail businesses the unemployment rate edged down a bit in November. Fall farm harvests were completed in October and November, and weather conditions resulted in construction slowdowns in November and December...

The Lutheran Home, a nursing home that provides long-term health care needs ranging from assisted living to skilled care, is expanding. The Lutheran Home, situated on a 38-acre tract at 2825 Bloomfield Road, is one of the largest nursing homes in Southeast Missouri, with 238 beds. The expansion will increase the number of beds by 26, to 264...

Phillip Russell, a noted speaker on selling and motivation, will be guest speaker during the World Class Selling Seminar to be held Feb. 5 at Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau. "This will be a first-class seminar," said Judy Moss, industrial development director for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. "People would normally have to go to St. Louis or Memphis for this type of meeting."...

Jennifer Westrich has joined Earley, Janssen, Begley & Company, 2103 Themis, as an accountant. Westrich is a 1985 graduate of Central High School and a December graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. She has a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a major in accounting...

ITAPCO-Missouri Terminal Inc. is observing its fifth year in Cape Girardeau. Formerly the Mobil Oil terminal near Highway 74 and South Sprigg, the terminal was named ITAPCO's terminal of the year for 1991. "This is a big honor," said terminal manager Allen Moore, who accepted a plaque during the firm's annual dinner held recently at the Executive Inn in Paducah, Ky. "Our terminal was selected out of a total of 18 terminals the company operates nationwide."...

Vision One Productions, a video-audio production and computer graphics company, recently opened at 203 N. Spanish. "We produce a variety of videos," said Chris Moore, president of the firm. "We do videos for advertising, sales presentations, and training tapes for industry."...

Earline Menz, events coordinator of the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau, has been named president of the Southeast Missouri Restaurant Association. Other officers include Anna Carmi, Imo's Pizza, Cape Girardeau, vice president; Bob Hoppmann, Pasta House, Cape Girardeau, second vice president; Paula Valle, Family Inn, secretary-treasurer; and Steve Bryant, ServiceMaster, chairman of the board...

DUTCHTOWN -- The Dutchtown Outlet, a new clothing and antique store, opened recently at Highways 74-25 in Dutchtown. "We're a clothing store for men, women and children," said Renee Dirnberger a partner in the operation. "We feature designer-type clothes and casual wear."...

The Small Business Development Center at Southeast Missouri State University will conduct counseling sessions for area small-business people and individuals planning business ventures. The sessions will be held in Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Perryville and Malden. They are approximately one hour in length and are free...