[St. Francois County, MO] Champions of service remembered - Community lost great leaders during 2009. Daily Journal, Dec 31, 2008 They were teachers, they were police officers, they were business leaders and soldiers. Below are just some of the beloved champions and heroes who died in 2009. Mineral Area College lost two of its longtime instructors in 2008. Music instructor Carol Moore, 52, died of cancer on March 30. Known for her love of jazz and her gift as a jazz pianist, the MAC Jazz Festival is being named in her honor. On April 9, Business instructor and Dept. Chair Steve Easter, 61, died suddenly. MAC Trustee and former dean Dr. Jim Bullis called Easter, “the best teacher I ever saw.” Off-duty law enforcement officer Joe Crump was killed in a motorcycle accident on US 67 at Parkway Drive May 17 while participating in a poker run for the Relay For Life of St. Francois County. It was an event he and his wife Shelly organized in honor of their daughter, a cancer survivor. On May 18, longtime Farmington businessman Bill Sharp, 64, died of a heart attack. He was President of Raymond James Financial Services. On June 10, Bonne Terre lost its champion. At the age of 88, former mayor and longtime city leader Jack Lawson died at Missouri Baptist Health Center of acute Leukemia. On June 17, Farmington Farmers’ Market founder Ron Hale was killed in a tractor accident on his farm south of Farmington. On June 19 Robert “Bob” Sechrest, a long-time basketball coach at both Central and Mineral Area College, died after a short battle with lung cancer. The 2,300-seat Field House at Mineral Area College was named for him in 2002. On Sept. 9, Tom Fitz , 87, former Farmington businessman who owned and managed Fitz Chevrolet-Buick, died at Presbyterian Manor. Ed Ragsdale, 77, the voice of North County Raider football for more than 40 years, died Nov. 19. On December 16, the Parkland lost St. Francois County Republican Committee chairperson Bob Schwartz at the age of 69. Two National Guardsmen from the Farmington-based 1138th Engineer Batallion were killed in 2008 while the unit was deployed to Iraq. Sgt. Matthew F. Straughter, Belleville, Ill., was killed when his vehicle was hit by a rocket propelled grenade launcher on Jan. 31. Sgt. Bradley Skelton, Gordonville, died Feb. 6 when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb.

I just noticed that the newspaper made a typo in its headline. It should, of couse, say "Community Lost Great Leaders during 2008", not 2009. Sorry I didn't catch that! Bettye On Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:21:34 -0600 "B. Warner" <bkwofc@i1.net> wrote: > [St. Francois County, MO] > Champions of service remembered - Community lost great > leaders during 2009. > Daily Journal, Dec 31, 2008 > > They were teachers, they were police officers, they were > business leaders and soldiers. Below are just some of >the > beloved champions and heroes who died in 2009. > > Mineral Area College lost two of its longtime >instructors > in 2008. Music instructor Carol Moore, 52, died of >cancer > on March 30. Known for her love of jazz and her gift as >a > jazz pianist, the MAC Jazz Festival is being named in >her > honor. On April 9, Business instructor and Dept. Chair > Steve Easter, 61, died suddenly. MAC Trustee and former > dean Dr. Jim Bullis called Easter, “the best teacher I > ever saw.” > > Off-duty law enforcement officer Joe Crump was killed in >a > motorcycle accident on US 67 at Parkway Drive May 17 >while > participating in a poker run for the Relay For Life of >St. >Francois County. It was an event he and his wife Shelly > organized in honor of their daughter, a cancer survivor. > > On May 18, longtime Farmington businessman Bill Sharp, >64, > died of a heart attack. He was President of Raymond >James >Financial Services. > > On June 10, Bonne Terre lost its champion. At the age of > 88, former mayor and longtime city leader Jack Lawson >died > at Missouri Baptist Health Center of acute Leukemia. > > On June 17, Farmington Farmers’ Market founder Ron Hale > was killed in a tractor accident on his farm south of >Farmington. > > On June 19 Robert “Bob” Sechrest, a long-time basketball > coach at both Central and Mineral Area College, died >after > a short battle with lung cancer. The 2,300-seat Field > House at Mineral Area College was named for him in 2002. > > On Sept. 9, Tom Fitz , 87, former Farmington businessman > who owned and managed Fitz Chevrolet-Buick, died at > Presbyterian Manor. > > Ed Ragsdale, 77, the voice of North County Raider >football > for more than 40 years, died Nov. 19. > > On December 16, the Parkland lost St. Francois County > Republican Committee chairperson Bob Schwartz at the age > of 69. > > Two National Guardsmen from the Farmington-based 1138th > Engineer Batallion were killed in 2008 while the unit >was > deployed to Iraq. Sgt. Matthew F. Straughter, > Belleville, > Ill., was killed when his vehicle was hit by a rocket > propelled grenade launcher on Jan. 31. Sgt. Bradley > Skelton, Gordonville, died Feb. 6 when his vehicle >struck > a roadside bomb. >