Stories from Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Margaret Ann Redditt-Bronner was born March 08, 1944, in Gary, Ind., to Willie and Lucille Redditt. Margaret departed her life on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at her home in Blytheville at the age of 75. She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Lee Bronner; her parents, Willie and Lucille Redditt; three brothers, Lamar Redditt, Raymond Redditt and Tommy Harris; her grandparents, Lee and Lelia Ewing; and a granddaughter, Toshika Wheeler...

Edwin Ray “Ed” Hurd passed away May 25, 2020. He was 87 years old. Ed was born Feb. 22 in 1933 at Hurd’s Corner, a farming settlement just west of Trumann where his father and mother, John and Ethel Hurd, owned a country store and farmed cotton alongside John’s large family. ...

Calvin May, 89, of Manila, passed away Thursday, May 28, 2020, at his home. Calvin was born in Manila to Noa and Lucille Garrett May. He was retired from Southwire and a member of Little River Baptist Church. Calvin loved being outdoors fishing or riding his bicycle. He loved to talk on his cellphone and watching court proceedings at Manila City Hall...

Virginia Daisy Oberste, 91, of Fort Smith passed away in her home on May 27, 2020. She was born July 25, 1928 in Lepanto to Porter Bryan and Hamer Maclin Bryan. Virginia was retired from Rheem Manufacturing and was a member of the Eastern Star. She enjoyed sewing, needlepoint, anything Elvis Presley and her collection of Beanie Babies...

Coelet Weaver was born Sept. 19, 1971, to Edward Blankenship Sr. and Althea Furlow in Blytheville. She departed this life on Thursday, May 28, 2020 at her home in Blytheville. Coelet leaves to cherish her memories her parents, Edward Blankenship Sr., Althea and Burton Furlow Sr., all of Blytheville; three daughters, Kierra Weaver of Munford, Tenn., Jacqueline Bell and Tierra Bell both of Blytheville; two sons, Michael Weaver of Jonesboro and Cordarrel Bell of Blytheville; five sisters, Patricia Weaver and Melony Burks, both of Blytheville, Anita Thigpin of Memphis, Tenn., Denise Burks of Little Rock and Cynthia Burks of Gosnell; eight brothers, Michael Weaver Sr. ...

Barbara Anne Wamble, 49, of Joiner, died May 30, 2020, at her home. She was homemaker and of the Baptist faith. Barbara was born Nov. 5, 1970, in Orlando, Fla., to Billy Bridges and Tawanda C. Taylor. She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Ronald Wamble of Joiner; two sons, Joshua (Samantha) Jones of Joiner and Jessie (Michelle) Wamble of Anchorage, Ak.; two sisters, Kathy Atchley of Osceola and Karen Bailey of Keiser; two grandchildren, Madilyn Jones of Joiner and Beau Wamble of Anchorage, Ak.. ...

After a long layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic local football teams started practicing this week under Arkansas Activities Association guidelines. Both Blytheville Chickasaws head coach Lance Stone and Gosnell Pirates head coach Lewis Earnest said they’re just happy to be practicing again...

Blytheville School District employees and members of the district’s Board of Education received a wonderful piece of good news at the April 27 board meeting when a check for $203,468.59 was given to the Blytheville High School Scholarship Foundation on behalf of the late Jan Sinclair, with an endowed scholarship to be presented in her name for future Blytheville High School seniors...

Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson said the Blytheville Police Department has received "no valid threats" and no curfew is in place. "As a result of recent events across the country, citizens have contacted our department asking if the 'rumors' they’ve about upcoming threats, riots, lootings, and curfews are true," Thompson said Tuesday afternoon. ...

Two Gosnell men flash Black Lives Matter signs as cars pass on Air Base Highway in Gosnell Tuesday evening. Jeff Thompson and Randy Thompson said they are peacefully protesting the death of George Floyd, calling for an end to racism. "This is a peaceful protest; you can't get more peaceful than this," Randy Thompson said as he and Jeff Thompson held up the Black Lives Matter signs...