Stories from Monday, April 10, 2023

Freda Beatrice Easter, 97, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri died, Friday, April 7, 2023, in Poplar Bluff.

Brenda Kay Gowen, 67, of Ellsinore, Missouri, peacefully passed away with family by her side on April 7, 2023, at her home in Ellsinore. Brenda was born Feb. 13, 1956, to Leroy and Mary Virginia (Deckard) Whitesell in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. She married the love of her life, Donnie Gowen July 2, 1996...

Gene Winford Hill, 87, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri passed away on April 6, 2023 at his home in Poplar Bluff. Gene was born on Feb. 22, 1936 to John Earl and Rosie Bell (Lowery) Hill in Blytheville, Arkansas. Gene had retired from working at the phone company after 33 years, was a Mason for 50 years. He loved to work with wood and to go fishing. He was notorious for being the life of the party, he also loved to be with family...

Bettie G. Vesterby, 94, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, died Sunday, April 9, 2023, at her residence in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Vesterby was born to the late Aaron and Bertha Mae Gibbs in Malden, Missouri, Sept. 1, 1928. She was a member of New Home General Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. Bettie loved to be needed. She was a proud homemaker and enjoyed baking and quilting. She also loved her dog, Sadie...

Oliver Michael ‘Mike’ Priest, 74, of Wappapello, Missouri, died Friday, April 7, 2023, at his home.

In 1991 congress approved a resolution dedicating the second week of April as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. On Monday, Mayor Steve Davis presented a proclamation honoring Poplar Bluff’s communications officers for their role in protecting their community...

A 28-year-old Poplar Bluff man suffered serious injuries in a two-vehicle accident about 4 p.m. Thursday at Highway 60 at County Road 657 in Shannon County. Jessie L. Lacy was air evacuated to Mercy Hospital in Springfield with serious injuries, according to Missouri State Highway Troop G...

The Rodgers Theatre and West Side Church hosted Easter at the Rodgers on Sunday morning. The annual service included a praise and worship band, musical children’s performances and hundreds of confetti poppers. Lead pastor Jason Jordan from West Side Church gave the sermon. An offering was taken to benefit the ongoing restoration of the Rodgers Theatre...

Rhonda Burson is the newly-elected mayor for the city of Neelyville. She received 62 votes in the April 4 election while her opponent John Knowles had 16 votes There was one unresolved write-in, but no one was certified as a write-in the mayor’s race...