Stories from Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Officials of Midwest Sterilization Co. of Jackson joined Southeast Missouri Food Bank representatives for the recent presentation of a $35,000 cash donation in support of the "Feed More" campaign. ...

Brian Allen, 43, of Poplar Bluff, died Dec. 24, 2022. Visitation is at 11 a.m., Dec. 28, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont Chapel. Funeral service is at 1 p.m., Piedmont Chapel. Burial will be in Alwood Cemetery, Piedmont. Online condolences; www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Billie Griggs, 91, of Williamsville, Missouri, died Dec. 23. Visitation is at 5 p.m, Friday, Dec. 30, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Williamsville Chapel. Funeral service is at 10:30 am, Saturday, Dec. 31, also in the Williamsville Chapel. Burial is in Graham Cemetery, Piedmont...

Junior Ray Pyle, son of the late Charley “Pete” Pyle and Geraldine Cooper Pyle, was born on Feb. 14, 1948, in Dunklin County, Missouri, and departed this life on Dec. 25, 2022, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 74 years...

Nora Lee West-Ligons, 88, of Campbell, Missouri, died Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 at St Bernard’s Medical Center, in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Mrs. West-Ligons was born June 6, 1934 in Gideon, Missouri, daughter of the late Jay and Pauline Payne. On Aug.13, 2020, she married Laverne Ligons. ...

Luther Henry Pettypool, 90, of Qulin, Missouri, died Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 at his residence. Mr. Pettypool was born Oct. 30, 1932 in Fisk, Missouri, son of the late John and Fannie Pettypool. He had served in the Army in the 521st signal Corp during the Korean War. He had worked at McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis and several saw mills in Southeast Missouri. He also worked for Butler County Highway Department for 20 years and was a truck owner operator for eight years...

Wilma Louise (nee Atnip) McKuin, of Poplar Bluff died Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Born to John Alexander and Minnie Louisa (nee Leach) Atnip Sept. 3, 1932, she was the youngest of 10 children, all having preceded her in death. She was married to Donald G. McKuin on Nov. 25, 1951. She joined her husband in England as he served in the Korean War. They later moved to Houston, Texas, where together they were self-employed in a successful electrical firm. They retired back to Poplar Bluff in 1985...

Tonya L. “Mills” Brandsasse, 39, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, passed away, Dec. 21, 2022 at St. Louis, Missouri. She was born June 7, 1983, at Poplar Bluff to Terence Mills and Arlena L. Kingery. She is survived by her mother; Arlena L. Mills and her children, James McCrellus of Poplar Bluff, Jonathan Brandsasse of Springfield, Missouri, Caleb Brandsasse and Emilee Brandsasse, both of Olney, Illinois; her fiancé, Eric Brown of Poplar Bluff; as well as one brother, Ronnie Kingery of Fairdealing, Missouri; grandchild, Jaxton McCrellus; and aunt and uncle, Robin and Kevin Redus of Gatewood, Missouri. ...

Carolyn Joan Warren, 81, of Jackson, Missouri, formerly of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022, at Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Carolyn was born on March 31, 1941, to Donald and Geneva (Johnson) Lawson in Neelyville, Missouri. She married Bert Lee Warren Sr. on March 7, 1959, in Poplar Bluff...

James A. Giger was born April 12, 1938 and passed away Dec. 14, 2022. James was predeceased by his wife, Earline Patterson Giger, April, 1999, two sons, Charles Giger, 1979 and James Giger Jr., 2017 and stepdaughter Carla Williams Bogenrief, 2017...

Billy Skaggs, 78, of Campbell died Sunday at his residence.

The months of April and May brought some historic changes for the region as well as recognition of area residents who had distinguished themselves for their accomplishments and leadership. Three Rivers College honored Dr. Amy Rowland as its Distinguished Alumni in April...

A Christmas miracle happened at the United Gospel Rescue Mission and the Rev. Greg Kirk credits the people of Poplar Bluff and Butler County with having the faith to make it occur. “Christmas at the mission was a big success because of the people of Poplar Bluff and Butler County,” said the director. ...

As Scott Dill transitions from superintendent of the Poplar Bluff R-I School District to the next phase of his educational career, he looks back on his tenure with specific achievements forever influenced by the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic...

Incoming Poplar Bluff R1 Superintendent Dr. Aaron Cornman is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities available as he leads the school district out of the post-pandemic transition into the future. Several factors initially attracted him to the position...

Poplar Bluff firefighters battled a blaze of an enclosed structure used for storage at 625 Park Avenue beginning at 9:59 p.m. Friday until shortly after midnight. The Poplar Bluff Police Criminal Investigation Division is conducting an inquiry into the fire...

After launching a successful 2022 election write-in campaign for Ripley County Prosecutor, Matt Michel says he intends to hit the ground running as he takes office in January. “My primary goal will be to clean up a backlog of warrants, some of them dating back to 2019,” says Michel...

Butler County Sheriff’s Department Kaytlin Marie Spencer, 20, of Poplar Bluff, was booked at the Butler County jail at 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 22, for failure to appear on charges of operating a vehicle on the highway without a valid license. _ Leonard Eddy Browning, 64, of Poplar Bluff, was booked at the Butler County jail at 8:47 a.m. Dec. 22, for failure to appear on charges of non support in excess of 12 months...