Stories from Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Southwest Lady Trojans Volleyball team will sponsor a youth volleyball camp on April 16 to 18 at the high school. The event is open to boys and girls in kindergarten through sixth grade. The cost is $20, and all campers will receive a T-shirt, a certificate and free admission to a future high school game. ...

The Desiree Evans Memorial Basketball Tournament will be held in the Southwest Middle School gymnasium in Washburn on Saturday, May 11. Evans, a former Southwest High School student, was killed in a tragic car crash on May 11, 2001. Southwest alumni men's and women's teams are needed for the event, as well as alumni from surrounding school districts. The cost is $15 per player, which will include a tournament T-shirt. Proceeds from the event will be donated to a local organization...

The Southwest Middle School eighth grade volleyball team, pictured above, finished runner-up at the Exeter Volleyball Tournament. Members of Sourthwest's team include: Mallory Mettlach, Sydney Leroy, Sydney Delossantos, Chelsi Atkinson, Haley Ladd, Haley Hendrix, Morgan Mitchell, Briana Learned, Bekah McKeever and Elizabeth Wolfe...

Democrat Photo/Lindsay Reed The Cassville sixth grade girls basketball team ended their season with a record of 16-1 and two first place and one second place tournament trophies. The team also secured the title of Southwest League Champions. Pictured above, in the front row, from left, are: Callie Beagle, Amber Large and Audrey Tripp. Back row: Avery Brown, Haven Dailey, Brianna Hemphill, Lauren Turner and Hailey Nape. The team is coached by Dan Beagle and Rod Hemphill...

The Cassville High School golf program will hold its seventh annual high school golf two-man scramble at the Cassville Golf Club on Saturday, April 6. The event will be played over 18 holes. Prizes and flights will be based on the number of entries. The entry fee is $30 per golfer for members and $45 per golfer for non-members. Proceeds will benefit the CHS golf program...

Several Cassville High School vocal music department students earned honors at the district solo and small ensemble contest in Joplin on March 1. Soloists who received superior I ratings included: Samye Borushaski; Mikala Deffenbaugh; Hannah Herbert; Alana Holt; Cassidy Larson; Levi Pollreisz; Audra Shumaker; and Kiley Wolf...

Submitted photo The Exeter Student Council held a design-your-school-flag contest with students entering their best flag design ideas. The student body selected a design by voting. Senior Janeca Holland's flag was selected as the favorite by a vote of the student body through a penny-a-vote ballot. ...

Democrat Photo/Lindsay Reed On March 15 and March 16, Cassville High School speech students took part in a qualifying competition for the National Speech and Debate Tournament that will be held in Birmingham, Ala., in June. Students competed in duo interpretation, original oratory, extemporaneous speaking, dramatic and humorous interpretation. ...

Mildred Ovelyn Blakley, 90, of Purdy, passed away on March 13, 2013. She was born on Jan. 3, 1923, in Albuquerque, N.M., the daughter of Roland "Otto" and Oralea (Creasa) Yarnall. On Nov. 24, 1945, she married Howard C. Blakley, who preceded her in death in 1997...

Orta Lee Cameron, 91, of Shell Knob, passed away Monday, March 18, 2013, in Glen Carbon, Ill. Arrangements will be announced by Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob. A complete obituary will be in next week's paper. Visit www.fohnfuneralhome.com for online obituaries, guestbook and private condolences...

Ernestine Marie Casner, 88, of Cassville, passed away Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at Red Rose Health and Rehabilitation in Cassville. She was born Nov. 20, 1924, in South Haven, Kan., the daughter of Jacob and Minta (Newell) Prough. On March 28, 1942, in Wichita, Kan., she was united in marriage to Harold Heuback, and to this union three children were born. ...

Fue Yia Chang, 72, of Salida, Calif., passed away Monday, March 11, 2013, at his son's home in Exeter. He was born May 14, 1940, in Long Khan, Laos, the son of Xai Khu Chang and Mee Xiong. In 1967, he was united in marriage to Ka Xiong, who survives...

Robert Steven "Steve" Knechtenhofer, 56, of Washburn, passed away Tuesday, March 12, 2013, in his home. He was born in St. Joseph, April 25, 1956, the son of Robert C. "Bob" and Beverly "Bev" (Peek) Knechtenhofer, who survive. Additional survivors include: one son, Erien Lee Knechtenhofer and his wife, Kerri, of Savannah, Mo., his companion, Debi Harville, of Washburn; two brothers, Donald Knechtenhofer and his wife Karin, of St. ...

Albert "Al" William Labonte, 70, of Seligman, passed away Monday, March 18, 2013, at his home. He was born in Thompson, Conn., April 1, 1942, the son of Telesphore and Doris (St. Maire) Labonte. On June 14, 1970, in Dorchester, N.H., he was united in marriage to Janice Elaine Gaspie, who survives...

Stanley Lackey, 55, of Seligman, passed away on Tuesday, March 12, 2013, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was born on April 24, 1957, in Lancaster, Calif., son of Roy and Mary (Rambo) Lackey. On July 4, 1991, he was united in marriage to Rose Martin, and she survives...

Jimmie Lee Land, 67, of Purdy, passed away Thursday, March 7, 2013, at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. He was born April 8, 1946, in Wheaton, the son of the late Paul and Marjorie (Burton) Land. He was united in marriage on Aug. 11, 1995, in Eureka Springs, Ark., to Carla Brown, and she survives...

Anna Bell Robbins, 84, of Cassville, passed away Thursday, March 14, 2013, at Cassville Health Care and Rehab. She was born Dec. 12, 1928, in Stark City, the daughter of Leslie and Clara (Nale) Bateman. On Jan. 19, 1946, at Exeter, she was united in marriage to Loren Calvin Robbins, who preceded her in death on March 4, 1996. Also preceding her in death were her parents; three brothers, Guy Bateman, Herman Davis and J. D. Bateman; and two sisters, Bea Browning and Hester Horn...

Clarence Richard "Dick" Whittington, 77, of Shell Knob, passed away Tuesday, March 12, 2013, in Autumn Hill Nursing Home, Berryville, Ark. He was born Oct. 4, 1935, in Chicago, Ill., the son of Clarence and Susan Bernice (Alsip) Whittington. On Oct. 9, 1954, in Chicago, he was united in marriage to Leatrice Joanne "Lea" Smith, who survives...

Donald T. Wuellner, 82, of Alton, died Monday, March 4, 2013, at his home. He was born April 21, 1930, in Alton, the son of Andrew J. and Emma (Leib) Wuellner. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He married Vera (Bradford) Zinn (formerly of Cassville) on April 11, 1955, in Springfield, and she survives...

The Dairy Farmers of America milk processing plant in Monett will be ceasing operations later this year. Employees were told Wednesday that DFA would cease operations in the second half of the year, with some jobs ending in September. The plant employs 86 people...

Dairy producers heard predictions of positive market trends and innovative research during the 44th annual Monett Dairy Day, held on Tuesday, March 5 at the Monett National Guard Armory. Scott Brown, an agriculture economist with the University of Missouri in Columbia, told the audience of about 30 dairymen that feed prices would continue to be the number one driver in dairy costs. ...