Margaret Ann Kelley 69, of Waldron, Arkansas passed from this life Saturday, August 1, 2020, at Mercy Hospital in Waldron. She was born December 10, 1950, in Waldron, Arkansas, the daughter of Edward and Nova Allen.
Margaret was retired from Tyson Foods in Waldron, Arkansas.She was the kindest and most caring woman who loved her family and friends with all her heart. Anytime there was a need she was the first one to lend a helping hand. She held a very special place in her heart for her grandbabies and enjoyed spending as much time with them as possible.
Margaret is survived by her daughters, Angel and husband Jeff Cabe of Waldron, Arkansas, Melarry and husband Jeff Wood of Mena, Arkansas.;5 grandchildren Kyler Cabe, Katie and husband Taylor Medlin, Tatelyn Wood, John Wood and Abigail Wood; one great grandchild Taylynn Medlin; three sisters Doris Kelley, Jeanie Kelly and Marilyn Allen; two brothers Joe and wife Elainea Allen, Richey and wife Sandra Allen; two brother in laws James Kelley, and Chris and wife Lita Kelley; and step brother in law Wilson and wife Tanya Kennedy, and several nieces and nephews. Margaret will be missed by all that knew her and the many whose lives she impacted, including a host of extended family, friends and loved ones near and dear to her heart.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Nova Allen and her husband, the love of her life, Larry Kelley.
Margaret’s visitation will be Tuesday, August 4, 2020, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas. Arrangements and cremation are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home & Crematory in Waldron, Arkansas.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Margaret Ann (Allen) Kelley, please visit our floral store.
Pictured Mansfield athlete John Branche offers a smile whether at football practice, McDonald’s, or cross country practice
The alarm blasts its annoying sound at 7:00 AM. After a quick shower and a grab and go breakfast, Mansfield junior, John Branche, dives headfirst into a day that few his age could handle.
Rolling into the school parking lot in his newly restored 2002 Ford Ranger by 7:45 AM, Branche starts a full day of activities that includes football practice, work at a local McDonald’s restaurant, and cross country practice. To say the all-around Tiger teammate is a busy man is stating the obvious.
Right now, football practice for the sixteen-year-old Mansfield student begins at 8:00 AM and lasts for two hours. It’s home from there for a second shower and change of clothes for a noon drive to Greenwood for his crew member’s job at McDonald’s. By 7:00 PM, his third change of clothes signals a return trip to Mansfield for cross country practice.
A bit like the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray in which the lead character repeats the same day, Branche has the same basic day at least three times a week.
“I get done about 8:45 (PM),” Branche revealed after a typically long day, and following a race paced long-distance run at cross country practice. “I go home, shower, sleep, and start the process over the next day.”
Branche says what inspires him as much as anything to keep up with the busy routine is his mother and father’s encouragement.
“The thing that motivates me is my parents,” the dual-sport athlete and part-time employee exclaimed. “They push me beyond my limits to be the best that I can be. My future is college and that motivates me as well.”
The heavy grind and the lack of free time doesn’t seem to dissuade Branche from his chosen path. At least that’s how the player’s high school cross country coach sees it.
“I saw a characteristic in John along about his eighth-grade year that made me realize he had real merit,” John Mackey, Mansfield’s cross country and track coach said. “He perseveres. He has a vision towards the future and understands that sometimes a difficult path is required to get there.”
One of the obstacles the eleventh grader has learned to endure since joining cross country a few seasons ago has been the lack of a consistent men’s team. That particular unit has battled the numbers game with limited athletes willing to fill the five-man roster.
“We’ve teetered with a full men’s roster for a few years now,” Mackey explained. “John came through junior high with a full team but since entering high school that group has dwindled with natural attrition, eligibility issues, and commitments to other sports.”
Again, Branche has been unwavering in his commitment to the cross country core.
“The experience of being one of only two senior high cross country runners is definitely a good one,” Branche asserted. “I think Ashton (Hinkle) and I motivate each other. We push each other in practice.”
Ashton Hinkle, a talented sophomore runner, moved up to the senior high squad midway through his freshman year last season. The strategic move allowed Mansfield a five-man scoring squad before the conference finals. That core five looked to return this season until the pandemic and other circumstances left only two men remaining.
Unable to achieve team accolades because of the mandated five player rule, Branche still set a goal for the upcoming season.
When asked about one of his sports goals for the upcoming season, Branche exclaimed. “My goal for cross country is to be an All-State runner.”
His answer to that goal question came about 30 minutes after he ran a 3-mile test in under 19 minutes at cross country practice. It was also about 12 hours after he lifted weights, ran receiver drills, and conditioned at an 8:00 AM football practice. Oh yeah, it also came about 90 minutes after his shift ended from a non-stop work pace at McDonald’s, a place where he looks to be a crew trainer before summer ends.
Once school begins, the motivated player will add a blended learning regimen to his already busy schedule. Meanwhile, he will continue his three-pronged approach to each day.
Practice football with the boys in the morning. Serve smiles and fries to masked customers through the afternoon. Run lots of miles with the girls and guys distance teams in the evenings. Go home, shower, sleep, and repeat.
What is “Quarantine Pantry Soup” you ask? Well, it’s whatever you want it to be actually. With daily outings to the store reduced, availability of items down, and prices up, it’s been a tad difficult at times to figure out what to make for dinner. So I got creative. Growing up, my mom would have a weekly “cleaning out the fridge of leftovers before trash day” dinner. So, with that in mind, I just added a goofy name and turned it into a soup. But you know what? It’s actually pretty good and works out perfectly for when you’re in a pinch.
Because my family is made up of hardcore carnivores, we always have meat with our meals but you can omit the dead animals from your soup if you choose. Assuming you are leaving the meat in, start by cooking a chunk of ground beef about the size of your hand. (this is where having big hands comes in handy!) I use ground beef because let’s face it, who can really afford chicken nowadays? After the beef headliner is fully cooked (if you have to ask if you leave the grease in then you need more training in southern cooking and I’d be glad to help but make sure you text because I don’t answer phone calls), meaning no pink is left, (you don’t want the side effects of intestinal worms) you can then start adding the supporting cast.
At this point, after adding around four cups of chicken broth, I look in my fridge for anything that is identified as a vegetable. This is usually pretty easy considering I always try to make a veggie with every meal yet it’s the meat and potatoes that solely get consumed so there are always plenty of vegetables left over. If you find yourself in the same veggie boat as me with your family only eating like cavemen, don’t sweat it. No need to make a big deal when your little ones refuse to eat the healthy stuff at dinner because you can now have total satisfaction in the fact that they will have no choice but to eat their vegetables the day before trash day when you’re turning them into a soup! (the veggies not the kids)
On a good day, I can almost always find, corn, carrots, and green beans in the fridge. If not, its time to head to the pantry. I highly recommend keeping about six cans of Veg-all on hand for this very occasion. I feel like if I have to explain what Veg-all is, we have bigger problems on our hands so I’ll just let you forward all your questions to Google. Now, since it’s summer, it also means garden veggies. Even if you yourself don’t have a garden, I’m fairly confident that someone within a one-mile radius of you does but please make sure you ask your neighbor first before helping yourself to their garden goodies. Just because their garden is either next to the road or close to your property line, doesn’t mean you have shared custody.
Since we do have a garden, I like to add (when available) okra, squash, and tomatoes. Onions and hot peppers are also a yummy staple to keep on hand and taste really good in the soup too. Finally, salt and pepper to taste and voila! Quarantine Pantry Soup! So let’s recap. Mix together ground beef fully cooked and or fridge, pantry, or garden veggies. Now, depending on what’s in your fridge/pantry, you can always add a small shape sized noodle or some rice for an extra filler but because I have yet to perfect the timing of adding these starches to the soup, they just turn into a ball of mush at the bottom of the pan and then you’re forced to listen to your family complain. And let’s face it. When being quarantined in the house with your family ALL day long seven days a week, you try to steer clear of ANYTHING that would cause any more complaints especially towards the end of the day. (You really don’t want to be the family who ends up on the evening news due to a dinner table death!) And that’s Fiddle-Fartin’ with Hecox, soup edition. Enjoy!
This school year will look like no other before it. School administrators have been working all summer to prepare, and with great uncertainty themselves on what the upcoming school year will look like. Parents are equally as concerned with the safety of returning back to school and the hardship of ensuring a quality education online.
While many parents have already decided, some are still weighing their options. Guidance set forth by the CDC may help those who are still undecided. Click –HERE– for additional information and to view a guided questionnaire designed to help parents make the right decision for their child.
In an upcoming special edition set to publish the week of August 12, Resident Press shares more in-depth articles on safety and at home efficiency.
For the second time, the City of Mansfield has brought in a viral disinfectant solutions company to safeguard city property.
Mansfield Mayor Buddy Black stated that the company Proactive Protect returned last week to disinfect city offices, police and sanitation vehicles. The company offers long lasting virus protection utilizing “nano-tech” products during treatments.
Proactive Protect managers said, “we were happy to have the opportunity to help the City of Mansfield…We PROACTIVELY PROTECTED their city hall, police department, water offices and city vehicles with our 30 day nano technology.”
Black is adamant in working to ensure both the safety of the city’s employees and its residents.
Donald Powell Williams, 79, of Abbott, passed away Thursday, July 30, 2020 in Fort Smith. He was born February 3, 1941 in Abbott, AR.
Our hearts are filled with sorrow at the loss of a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, great-grandfather, and a Christian friend in our community. It was Donald’s Christian fruits we witnessed that earned our love and gives us assurance of where he is today. He was a faithful member of the Mansfield Church of Christ.
He was a gifted auto body repairman and owner of Duck’s Body Shop in Abbott.
Donald was preceded in death by his parents; Verdell and Clarice Williams, and two brothers, James Linden Williams and Ronald Williams.
Donald is survived by his wife Hellen of the home; daughter Shelia Carson and husband Mike of Abbott; son Rickie Williams and wife Christine of Columbia, Kentucky; a sister Betty Pennington and husband Blake of Bella Vista; two stepdaughters, Brenda Kesner and husband David of Fort Smith, Renae and husband David Hughart of Greenwood and stepson, Rodney Leslie of Hot Springs, and grandchildren; Garrett Carson and wife Jessica, Jarrod Carson and wife Katelin of Abbott, Stephanie Gilbertson and husband Jordan of Lowell, Rachel Kesner of Bentonville and Monica Hughart of Little Rock; great-grandchildren Taylor Grace, Isaac, Lydia, Dayton Luther and Meredith Carson and Jacob Gilbertson.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 5 at the Dayton Church of Christ with interment at Pleasant Grove #2 cemetery in Abbott, under the direction of Martin Funeral Home in Mansfield. Public visitation will be Tuesday, August 4 from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be Eric Williams, Stephen Williams, Paul Williams, Arnold Williams, Bobby Musgrove, and Harold Musgrove.
The family has requested in lieu of flowers please donate to the Mansfield Church of Christ: PO Box 322 Mansfield, Arkansas 72944. Additionally, friends and family who attend the funeral service are asked to drive hot rod and classic cars in honor of Donald.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Donald “Duck” Williams please visit our Tribute Store.
Last week was another eventful week in the unfolding story of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in our country. As millions of Americans have suffered through the changes and ramifications of this virus, the sports world has been affected just like every other aspect of our society.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of an avian origin. In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in the spring of 1918. It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States.”
Political leaders in 1918 seemingly faced the same challenges to contain the virus as they have in 2020. Closing businesses, schools, churches, and other events of large gatherings were decisions that leaders of 1918 similarly faced as they have this year. And the decision to open schools this year is not unlike the decisions that were made in 1918.
Greenwood Students Assist School Nurse Who Had Fallen Ill to Virus During 1918 Pandemic (Photo Credit: 40/29 News)
According to an article published online by 40/29 News, “The Arkansas Board of Health put the state under quarantine in October 1918 and officials shut down all public schools. Children under the age of 18 were confined to their homes into December. The epidemic continued to kill Arkansans through 1919, eventually taking at least 7,000 lives.” The CALLS Encyclopedia of Arkansas stated, “The epidemic disappeared almost as suddenly as it struck. Milder forms of influenza have followed, such as “swine flu” and the Asian and Hong Kong flu varieties, challenging medical science to treat each new form.”
And just as in the case of today’s COVID-19 pandemic, the question of opening schools during the 1918 pandemic was also controversial. According to PBS.org, the decision to open schools in large cities in 1918 was based, in part, by the belief that some students were living in less favorable conditions than those that could be provided by public schools. “Sanitary” conditions, that were purported to exist, for example, in the New York Pubic School System, were deemed to be more favorable for students than those who, for example, were living “in places like the Lower East Side” of New York City. In Chicago, the commissioner of the Department of Health cited a “fluphobia” of parents who were reluctant to send their children back to school. Bottom line, the leaders of 1918 felt that schools were a more favorable place for the overall welfare of students than the environments they were living in at the time. The attention in 1918 was focused on physical health and sanitation, and in 2020, the focus is on mental health and potentially abusive or neglecting conditions that may affect children during school closures.
On the sports scene, President Woodrow Wilson, concerned about the morale of the country, stated, “It would be difficult to overestimate the value of football experience as part of the soldier’s training (in response to establishing football teams at military bases to play college football teams during the pandemic [Source: SI.com]. “Many schools were not able to play until late October or early November. The annual Army-Navy game was not played. Many schools played only three or four games. While there were some who felt college football should completely shut down because of the pandemic, President Woodrow Wilson felt that football added to the overall morale of the country.”
College football survived, as did professional baseball. Players continued to play, and they played wearing face masks. Fans wore face masks as well in 1918, and we will be expected to do the same in 2020.
Football Players Wearing Masks During 1918 Pandemic (Photo Credit: Las Vegas Review Journal)
So the on-going debate in our state and nation will be over the same issues and questions that our nation faced in 1918. It is not my place to express my view points or political beliefs. But I do want to offer my opinion on the much needed support for our schools and teachers that will be needed for the upcoming school year.
As our teachers prepare to go back to work in their classrooms, our students prepare to go back to school, and our student-athletes in both high school and college prepare to play a season unlike any that has been faced in over 100 years, I will say that this is a time for us to reflect on lessons learned from the past, as well as developing a strong sense of solidarity and support for each other. As the Spanish-American philosopher, George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Acknowledging our past may be a difficult thing for us today, but as Santayana suggested, we must learn from the pandemic of 1918 and apply those lessons to the pandemic of 2020. Those lessons may not solve any questions today just as they could not be solved 100 years ago, but we can at least have the comfort of knowing that as a nation, we have been down this road before…and we survived to become a stronger nation.
And of much less importance, sports will survive. We pray that our students, teachers, athletes, and all concern will be safe, and that hope is not too far off in the future for relief from this terrible virus.
A member of the Paris Eagles football team during team workout drills in June (Resident Press File Photo)
As a retired school administrator, I will offer to all of our readers that our teachers and our schools need your patience and support now more than ever. It will not be easy for anyone. And it will not be made easier by blaming or directing anger at our schools. As with any other year, our schools and their staffs are following directives from state and federal authorities, and when it all boils down, it comes down to the classroom teacher trying to make the best of a bad situation for all of their students.
Nurses and other health professionals have rightly been referred to as heroes throughout the pandemic. And as the new school year approaches, I suggest that we add to the list of heroes our teachers, administrators, volunteers, and everyone connected to our schools who will be dedicating themselves to not only your children’s education, but safeguarding their health, as well. God bless them all.
Washington vs. Nebraska, 1918. Notice the large crowd in attendance. (Photo Credit: St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Pictured is Southeastern Oklahoma State University cross country runners, Megan Rose and Madelynn Coffey.
Two Savage Storms blew into the Mansfield area early last week. No, it wasn’t the expected rain being pushed from Hurricane Hanna out of Texas. It was a pair of college cross country runners from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, nicknamed the Savage Storm.
Local legend Megan Rose of Mansfield and her teammate Madelynn Coffey of Durant, Oklahoma happened by Mansfield High School’s cross country practice. The two college juniors were preparing for their own running regiment as they crossed paths with the Tigers.
With a nudge from MHS track coach John Mackey, the pair led the Tiger cross country team in warmups for the afternoon.
“These are two high caliber athletes that have moved to the next level,” Mackey said. “Our players are well aware of the work Megan has done to get to the college ranks. To have her and Maddie stop by was a motivating treat for us.”
The college players were put through the screening dialogues, temperature checks, and social distance mandates just like the Mansfield team members. Afterwhich, the two took the Tiger players through a modified version of the Savage Storm warmup.
“It was fun to lead practice again,” Rose, a four-time individual conference champion while at Mansfield, confessed. “Except, I wasn’t really the leader. It was easy to see how the team dynamics had changed and who the new leaders were.”
According to Rose, her college teammate came along as the two were doing some summer training sessions together.
“Maddie came up as a little road trip so we could train together,” Rose explained. “It’s nice doing everyday workouts with someone else. Plus, it’s always fun showing another runner what real hills look like.”
Coffey, who enrolled at Southeastern in the same recruiting class as Rose, has worked at the Texas Heat Cross Country Camp in the past. This summer, the event was canceled due to the nationwide virus crisis. That left the Oklahoma native free to travel to Mansfield for a few days.
“It was good to get out and enjoy some Arkansas weather,” Coffey admitted. “I was happy to do the warmups with the Tigers as Megan and I prepared for our own workout.”
The Savage Storm runners were set to go on a 6 mile run the Monday they interacted with the high school team. The college players were scheduled to run around 50 miles for the week. Their current workload calls for daily six-mile runs with a long run of 12 miles on Sundays.
In comparison, the upper-level runners (L3) for MHS are scheduled for 32 miles per week. The mid-levels (L2) are putting in about 23 miles per week. And the lower tier (L1) and beginners (LB) are around 13.
Last week, the top 5 Lady Tigers by mileage for the seven-day stretch were Katlynn Moore, McKenzie Griffin, Cassidy Carlton, Faith Rainwater, and Darby Jones. Moore hit 32 miles last week while Jones went 34.9 the week before that. For the month of July, Jones leads the overall mileage of any Tiger at 109.5. Rainwater is close behind at 108.5 for that same four week period.
As a unit last week, Mansfield cross country runners from both the junior and senior high teams produced 339.3 miles. Since pre-season team sessions resumed on July 6, the group has topped the one thousand mile mark. Their total collective distance as of Thursday, July 30 was 1,039 miles.
“We try to set a weekly goal,” Mackey pointed out. “For three weeks in a row, we’ve surpassed that newly set threshold. Having Megan and Maddie show up to practice the other day gave us extra incentive to reach another new high.”
Trinity Triska off the junior girls’ team continued to lead the younger division in total miles for both the week and the monthly total. John Branche reached the top measure for the senior boys in both categories as well.
Contributors of late have been Mansfield’s newest runners. Joseph Carter, a seventh-grader, recently joined the junior boys’ group with fellow seventh-grader Jonah Martin. Summer Frazier, an eighth-grader, bolstered the junior girl’s team mid-July.
Also shuffling into the cross country mix have been six players off the Mansfield volleyball team and one football athlete. Frazier, Triska, and Carlton do both cross country and volleyball this season as do Addie Bowman, Azlynn Stover, and Laney Wood. Branche rejoined football this season while maintaining his cross country status. As Mansfield looks to compete this fall season, Rose and her teammate are still waiting for an announcement about their season.
“My expectations for this season are to hopefully have a season,” the former Lady Tiger messaged. “I think mentally this is the strongest summer I’ve ever practiced. It can be pretty discouraging practicing alone. I’ve finally gotten patient with the mileage. Having the right mindset helps the workout go faster. That’s why I’m glad y’all are practicing as a team even with social distancing.”
Coffey is excited about the upcoming cross country season despite the cloud of uncertainty that hangs over the start to college athletics this Fall. “I’m excited about our cross country team,” Coffey relayed by message. “We will have a bigger team than usual. We have 16 runners when we usually have 12. I think we will be ready to compete at our conference when it gets here.”
As far as witnessing Mansfield runners for the first time, the Durant native added. “I think it’s neat how Mansfield practices together despite being a small team. I’m from a bigger school. I loved the enthusiasm of the Mansfield team.”
Aiden Fildes and Trinity Triska move toward the warm-up area at MHS cross country practice
Rookie runners Summer Frazier, Joseph Carter, and Jonah Martin join the tradition rich Mansfield cross country team
Lady Tigers Faith Rainwater and Darby Jones lead in total mileage for Mansfield long distance runners
Lady Tiger Lita Hecox begins her XC workout
Mansfield runners Addison Bowman, Magean Newman, Azlynn Stover, and Alyssa James complete warm-up jog
The Mansfield City Council met in special session on Thursday evening, July 30 at 6 p.m.
The lone item of business, the proposed rezoning of property on Cole Street. Local businessman David Ludwig is seeking the change in order to build duplexes on the property.
In a unanimous vote by the council, the proposal passed. The plan includes building two sets of duplexes on the property, providing four living units.
The duplexes will be identical to the properties built by Ludwig located on the corner of Gregg and High Street in Mansfield.
In today’s daily press conference, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson cleared the way for contact sports to be played this fall. In his briefing, the governor acknowledged hearing from many persons across the state on this issue.
Governor Hutchinson stated his decision would affect sports, band, and cheerleading. The governor stated, “As I have said on numerous occasions, we need school this fall. And part of school are the sports and other extracurricular activities that go with school. I have heard from every corner of the state and everybody expressing their opinions on this; from parents to teachers, students, coaches, to moms and school counselors. Based upon that, I want to say that the Arkansas Athletic Association has presented a schedule for football in terms of contact team drills with helmets. And that will be from August 3 through August 7. And so we want our student-athletes in football to proceed with their no-contact team drills with helmets throughout next week. And we want that to proceed. I am asking the AAA to submit a plan and to the Arkansas Department of Health to have football, volleyball, and cheerleading this fall. That will allow the Department of Health to review and develop the guidelines for mitigating the virus risk associated with contact sports.”
Resident Press File Photo
Governor Hutchinson continued to state, “Further, I am announcing today that I am establishing a high school sports advisory group to make recommendations to me and to assist the Department of Health in the best practices for protecting the student-athletes and school personnel. And to lead us to have a regular sports season this fall. Sports is a very important part of the development of our youth. If we do not have sports, then many of the student-athletes will be going out-of-state to participate in sports which adds another level of risk and that increases the risk.”
Resident Press File Photo
The governor continued to comment that volleyball teams could begin working out and their seasons will start on time. The same is true for marching band programs.
Resident Press File Photo
With respect to fans in attendance at games, the Governor indicated that the same guidelines for large gatherings would pertain to high school games. Social distancing, the wearing of masks, etc., would be maintained.
Addressing high school football players, the Governor said, “Grab your helmets, and after practice, grab your masks!”
Resident Press will have more on this development in the next few days. Stay with RP for the latest on fall high school sports!
