Stories from Monday, December 28, 2015

EIGHTY YEARS AGO Dec. 27, 1935-Jan. 2, 1936 Even with the thermometer ranging down close to zero and sleet flying in the air, the Monett police do not have the calls for help from transients, such as were a daily problem last year and for several years past. With the transient shelter gone, the wanderers do not come here any more. Instead of an increased police force being necessary, as was predicted at the time the transient camp was closed, the police force has been reduced...

EIGHTY YEARS AGO Dec. 20-26, 1935 On Dec. 24, the carol singers were out in force. There weren't enough to place singers on all streets, but there were a lot out at that. Persons wanting the singers to stop were asked to burn a light in a window. The singers had with them little boxes into which coins could be tossed, and the money was used to relieve the suffering of the...

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has ordered all U.S. and Missouri flags at government buildings fly at half-staff on Tuesday to honor Emory Melton, a former state Senator who represented southwest Missouri for six terms, from 1973-1996. "Emory Melton had many titles during his life -- longtime state senator, attorney, newspaper publisher and historian, and especially loving husband and father," Nixon said. ...

Zeke Guffey, 90, of Aurora, died at 12:35 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23, at the Missouri Veteran's Home in Mt. Vernon. Memorial services were held Saturday, Dec. 26, at the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora. Burial will be at a later at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Moberly...

Maria Guadalupe Escalera, infant daughter of Gregorio and Elvira Escalera, died at birth Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Cox South Hospital in Springfield. A memorial service was held Dec. 13, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Verona. Local arrangements were under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora...

Becky Rose (VanSandt) Butterworth, 55, of Aurora, passed from this life to her Heavenly home Friday, Dec. 25, while at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Becky was born Sept. 15, 1960, in Monett, daughter of Bobby Lee VanSandt and Rosella Mae (Terry) VanSandt. She graduated from Cassville High School with the class of 1978. Becky owned B-Clean Janitorial, operating since 2007. She was a member of Log Church, Butterfield...