Stories from Friday, August 6, 2021

Marsha Faye Lesley, 50, of Blytheville, passed from this life on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, at her home in Blytheville. Born to Thomas Russell “Les” and Della Faye Strop Lesley in Osceola, she was a lifelong resident and of the Baptist faith. Marsha was the department manager of the Lube and Tire Department of the Blytheville Walmart Store. ...

Lessie Mae Nance, 83, of Osceola died Aug. 3, 2021 at her home. She was a retired factory worker, an active member of the Osceola Hospital Auxiliary team, a member and the president of the Usher Board of Bethlehem M.B. Church of Osceola. Ms. Nance was born Dec. 25, 1937 in Marie to Earnest and Mary Lou Smith Nance. She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Leroy Love; two brothers, Willie and Earnest Nance; and two sisters, Stella Roberts and Beatrice Ware...

Sheila Denise Smith, 64, of Paragould died Aug. 3, 2021, at her home. She was a homemaker. Ms. Smith was born March 17, 1957, in Caraway to Marshall Kincaid and Margie Price. She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her daughter, Jessica (David) Burt of Osceola, and one brother, Marshall Terry Kincaid of Pontiac, Mich...

During this week’s special session, state legislators did not change the mask mandate ban. “I feel that we got nothing accomplished this special session,” Rep. Monte Hodges (D-Blytheville) said. “We’ve been elected to make sometimes hard decisions, but this wasn’t the case. We see the rapid rise in the delta variant and I feel thar we turned a blind eye to it. With all that being said, I was in support of giving school the control to mandate mask.”...

Ronald Dale Morris, 69, of Pocahontas, passed peacefully from this life at his home on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021. He was born on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 1951, in Walnut Ridge to Paul “Moose” Morris and Wilma Lovell Morris. After graduating high school, Dale joined the Arkansas National Guard and served for six years during which time he became a graduate of Arkansas State University and a member the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. ...

A pair of former Mississippi County standout athletes are back in town to help lead and mentor the Blytheville Chickasaws throughout the upcoming football season. The brothers, Elroy Brown Jr. and Gerrett Howard, recently joined the staff, assisting on the defensive side of the ball. ...