Stories from Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Sidney S. Smith, 82, of Grand Island, Nebr., formerly of Cassville, died Sunday, March 15. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, at Oak Hill Cemetery, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville. Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, at Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville...

On offense, Monett senior Tyler Ash knew he was going to get hit and get hit hard on every play. Ash was the Cubs' fullback, and it was his job to pick up the tough yard or inches. However, he also served as a decoy for the purple and gold's option offense which meant he had to make the defense believe he had the ball, and that also led to him getting hit hard...

The Verona boys basketball team secured two first team spots and two second team spots on the All-Ozark 7 Conference rosters. The Wildcats finished second overall in the conference with a 5-1 record and reached the title game of the Class 2, District 5 tournament...

Pamela Joan Patterson, 60, of Shell Knob, died at 11:10 a.m. Friday, March 13, at her home. No services are planned at this time. Local arrangements are under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora.

Dr. Jack Cooper, 87, of Joplin, formerly of Pierce City, died at 4:58 p.m. Sunday, March 8, at Webb City Health and Rehab Center in Webb City. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Monett. Burial will be at the Andelin Family Cemetery near Pierce City...

Ruth Marie Wallace, 90, of Aurora, died at 9:25 a.m. Sunday, March 15, at Ozark Methodist Manor in Marionville. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 19, at Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora. Arrangements are under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora...

A Monett man was arrested on Sunday for a shooting incident believed to be related to the death of a rural Monett man. Tyler Kent McKee, 19, of Monett, was charged in Barry County Associate Court for unlawful use of a weapon, a class D felony; receiving stolen property, a class C felony; and third degree assault, a class C misdemeanor. Judge Robert Foulke set bond at $4,500...

Four new board members and two alternates were elected to the Monett Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors during the annual membership meeting on Thursday. Following a vote by the membership, incoming Chamber president Michelle Eck announced the new board would include Brad Anderson, from EFCO Corporation; James Randall Jr., from the legal firm of Randall, Masri and Randall; and Carrie Szydloski, from International Dehydrated Foods; and Paul Lanning, from the First United Methodist Church. ...

The Lawrence County Commission has paid off its $7.5 million debt early, which funded the building of the new county Justice Center. Reducing the county's debt will lower the total countywide sales tax that has funded the construction. The final payment for the debt was $975,856.25...

Pierce City Middle School students had the opportunity to show off their colors at a spring dance held last week at the school.

The eighth annual Celebration Tea, hosted by the First United Methodist Church in Monett, has been postponed due to lack of table hostesses for the event. Connie Davis, one of the organizers for the annual fundraiser, said only seven hostesses had signed up for this year's tea, slated for March 21...

Monett Jaycees met at the home of Amanda Harbaugh to stuff 2,000 plastic eggs for the Jaycees' annual Easter Egg Hunt, which is co-sponsored this year by EFCO Corporation.

Preschool and kindergarten screenings for the Monett schools will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 18 and 20 at Monett Elementary. Appointments for the free screenings can be made by calling 235-3411. Motor skills, speech and language skills, concept development, vision and hearing will be checked. Screening takes approximately one hour. Parents will receive a summary of the results...

Six middle school teams will participate in the Southwest Junior Volleyfest Saturday at the high school gymnasium in Washburn. Matches begin at 9 a.m. and should conclude by 3 p.m. The cost to attend is $3 for adults and $2 for students. Joining the host Lady Trojans in the field are: Clever, Exeter, Galena, Purdy and Wheaton...

Donald R. Brewer, the son of Merlin A. and Reba (Brubaker) Brewer was born March 3, 1923, in Prairie City, Iowa. He attended Prairie City High School, graduating in 1941. In 1974, Donald was united in marriage to Beverly Kent in Monett, Mo. Don's employment required the family to move several times. They made their home in numerous Kansas and Missouri towns including; Rock Port, Mo., Kansas City, Mo., Wathena, Kan., and Monett...

Lyle Thompson, 70, of Eagle Rock, died Sunday, March 15. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, March 20, at Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville. Burial will be in Munsey Cemetery, Eagle Rock. Visitation will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, at Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville...

Albert James Harris, 72, of Mt. Vernon, died at 1:35 p.m. Sunday, March 15, 2015, at Lawrence County Manor in Mt. Vernon. Graveside services were held Wednesday, March 18, at Mt. Vernon IOOF Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon...

Ethel Colene Lander, 87, of Viola, died at 4:55 p.m. Sunday, March 15. Graveside services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, at McCullough Cemetery, Viola, under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob, Missouri.