Stories from Tuesday, May 25, 2004

I never knew his name until I learned of his death. Everyone just called him Papa, and everyone knew him. I never became really close to Papa, despite the fact that I really liked him. I learned more about Papa in the four days after his death than in the more than 10 years I'd known him...

I just love to look at these Internet calendars that have lists of historical events for each day. May the 25th, 1962, had a notation that at first seemed just trivial to me, and then after some reflection it started me on one of my daydreams of those proverbial "good old days." The event was the release of a record single by the Isley Brother's titled "Twist and Shout." Since Memorial Day is just next week, I thought some of you might like to go down that memory lane with me...

Edna Virginia Keena Pearson, Tulsa, Okla., passed away Sunday May 23, 2004, at St. John Medical Center. She was born March 19, 1923, in Nevada, to Frank W. and Ella Sharp Keeno, who predeceased her. After graduation from Nevada High School in 1941, she attended Cotty College, graduating in 1943...

John E. Strack, 80, Bolivar, died Saturday, May 22, 2004, in the Missouri Veteran's Home, Mt. Vernon. He was born May 11, 1924, in Columbus, Neb., to John C. and Anna Korger Strack. He was a World War II U.S. Army veteran. From 1964 to 1988 he was a resident of Nevada and employed as supervisor of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Department at the Nevada State Hospital...

Melvin K. Mosher, 82, Nevada, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at Nevada Regional Medical Center following a short illness. He was born March 30, 1922, in Schell City, to Henry Grant Mosher and Lillian Echelle Mosher. He married Beatrice Lucille Belcher on March 9, 1968, in Nowata, Okla., and she preceded him in death on Feb. 22, 1997...

Douglas Lynn Payton, 36, Columbia, Mo., formerly of Nevada, died Friday, May 21, 2004, at his home in Columbia. He was born July 21, 1967, in Nevada, to David L. Smith and Betty Lou Payton. He grew up and went to school in Nevada. At the age of 17, he joined the National Guard and served for three years in Ft. Leonardwood, Virginia, Nevada, and Illinois. He has lived in Columbia, for the past eight years...

Michael E. Wright, 54, of Clinton, Mo., died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at his home in Clinton. Memorial services will be 11 a.m., Wednesday at Vansant-Mills Chapel, Clinton. Family will receive friends 1/2 hour before the service. Family suggests contributions to Twin Lakes Hospice, Clinton, or Eagles Lodge, Clinton, and may be left at the funeral home. Arrangements Vansaat-Mills Funeral Horne (660) 885-2021...

Nevada Daily Mail The Nevada Tigers summer basketball camp will be held June 7-11 in Wynn Gymnasium at Nevada High School. The camp will host two sessions each day, the first from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. for third, fourth and fifth grade boys and the second from 2:30 to 5 p.m. for sixth, seventh and eighth grade boys...

By Gail Agee Special to the Daily Mail Wow, what a night. With all the action, I thought surely there must be a full moon but that wasn't the case. We just simply had drivers racing extra hard, racing three wide and taking chances to gain positions which, in some cases didn't pay off for them. ...

Steve Moyer/Daily Mail Jordan Leininger, Nevada High School salutatorian, addresses students, faculty and parents during 2004 commencement exercises Sunday, May 23, at Wynn Gymnasium. Billy Miller III, valedictorian, gives the commencement address to a capacity crowd and guests seated in the overflow area watching on closed-circuit television...