Stories from Monday, April 13, 2015

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- As education majors prepare to earn their teaching certifications, some students are frustrated with a switch in exit exams that was implemented by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in the fall. In September, the Praxis II exam was replaced with the Missouri Content Assessment, taken by education students to earn a certificate that makes them eligible to teach...

David O. Dudley, son of the late George Jackson and Alma Lee Cherry Dudley, was born in Doniphan, Mo., on May 31, 1956, and died at his home in Wappapello, Mo., on April 12, 2015, at the age of 58. He had lived in the Puxico area most his life and was a member of the V.F.W. Post in Wappapello...

John Shanks, age 90, of Bloomfield, Mo., went home to be with his Lord on April 12, 2015. Mr. Shanks' celebration of life and funeral service will be Thursday morning, April 16, 2015, at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Bloomfield. His family will receive friends at the church at 9 a.m., until service time. Rev. Jim Matthews will officiate with Rev. Jerry Darby assisting. Interment will follow at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield...

Shirley Triplett daughter of the late Rex and Mable Phillips Keller was born on October 17, 1941, in Hayti and died on April 11, 2015, at the Southeast HEALTH Center of Stoddard County at the age of 73. Mrs. Triplett was a resident of Dexter and a member of the Dexter Elks Lodge #2439...

Darrell Denny Willis, age 72, of Newark, Del., died peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. Born in Bloomfield, Mo., on April 13, 1942, Darrell was the son of James Hugh and Irene Denny Willis. He proudly served his country as a member of the US Army specializing in intelligence. Darrell made his career with the former MBNA, where he worked as an executive vice president, retiring after 40 years of dedicated service...

Geraldine L. Pyle, daughter of the late Lloyal Cooper and Dawsey McMillion Cooper was born on March 10, 1929, in rural Bernie and died on April 10, 2015, at the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau at the age of 86. Mrs. Pyle was a member of the Bernie Church of Christ. She retired from Elders Manufacturing in Dexter and was a resident of Dexter...

Gloria Jean McRoy, daughter of the late Ralph Cecil and Juanita Aliene Parker Becraft, was born in Bloomfield, Mo., on Jan. 22, 1933, and died at her home in Bloomfield on April 11, 2015, at the age of 82. She had lived in Bloomfield most of her life...