Lincoln Park, Mich., resident Ruby M. Bowen, 85, died Jan. 1 after a short illness.A retired primary school teacher with Cannon County schools for 37 years and a member of Woodbury Church of Christ, she was the daughter of H. Clay and Myra Winnette Mears; and was preceded in death by husband Beecher Bowen; brothers,…

Bates Hill resident Ralph M. Todd, 81, died Jan. 1 at his daughter’s residence in McMinnville.A retired carpenter, farmer and a member of Ivy Bluff Church of Christ, he was the son of the late Wiley and Mabel Mason Todd; and was preceded in death by his wife, Edith Sullens Todd; and son, Stanley Todd.He…

McMinnville resident and French Creek, W. Va., native Kathleen Gay Roberts, 67, died Dec. 29 at River Park Hospital after a lingering illness.A homemaker, she was the daughter of Willa Bell Brady of McMinnville, and the late Ruben J. Brady; and was preceded in death by sister, Charlotte Roe; infant brother, Ruben Brady Jr.; and…

McMinnville resident and White County native Fred Kirby, 85, died Dec. 31 at River Park Hospital after an extended illness.A horse trainer and a member of New Union United Methodist Church, he served his country in the U.S. Marine Corp during World War II and received the Purple Heart and a Citation for Valor.The son…

Spencer resident and Grundy County native Flora Louise McCoy, 80, died Jan. 3 at White County Hospital after an extended illness.A retired elementary teacher, the retired owner of McCoy Flowers and a member of Spencer First Baptist Church, she was the daughter of the late Albert A. and Lillian B. Tate Jones, and was preceded…

McMinnville resident and Warren County native Effie Mae Bailey Narramore Turner, 98, died Jan. 4 at her home after an extended illness.A retired employee of South Pittsburgh Knitting Mill and a member of the Church of Christ, she was the daughter of Tolbert B. and Mary Abigil Belcher Bailey; and was preceded in death by…

McMinnville resident and Warren County native Earl Clark Dixon, 69, died unexpectedly Dec. 31 at River Park Hospital.A saw mill worker with Rogers Saw Mill, he was the son of Millard and Ethel Mae Muncey Dixon; and was preceded in death by his wife, Lorene Dixon.He is survived by brothers and sister-in-law, Houston and Hassie…

McMinnville resident and Neelyville, Mo., native Arvel Benton Terry Sr., 81, died Jan. 3 at NHC Healthcare after an extended illness.A crane operator with Price Brothers Pipe Company and a member of the Pentecostal Church, he served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II.The son of the late James David and Emma…

By Cokie & Steven Roberts Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant has sex with a woman he met just minutes before. Baseball sluggers and champion sprinters admit to taking steroids to boost their performance. A hockey player pleads guilty to assaulting a rival and breaking his neck. An NBA fan tosses a soda at a player and…

By Thomas Vaughn As predicted, our global war on terrorism is starting to take its toll on National Guard recruiting and retention efforts. In fact, the Guard is facing critical manpower shortages, even as deployments to Iraq continue apace.Recruiting results for October and November, 2004 fell far short of stated goals. The October goal was…