Through the Years, May 7

40 YEARS AGO: OPENING EMPHASIS IS BERRIES — Tuesday’s session of Garden Sass at Ninth and East Streets in Cassville featured the most popular current crop.... strawberries. In this group are Lee Older, president; Lyle Pate, vice-president; Louise Stockton, secretary; Elva Madison, treasurer and members Harold Gibson, Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe Cooper and E. J. Relethford. Garden Sass, the marketing group for locally grown products, is opening Tuesday and Friday at the location. Elder said hours are usually from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Group officers said they were “looking for a heavy arrival of products” this Friday. Democrat file photo40 YEARS AGO: OPENING EMPHASIS IS BERRIES — Tuesday’s its session of Garden Sass at Ninth and East Streets in Cassville featured the most popular cur-tent crop.... strawberries. In this group are Lee Older, president; Lyle Pate, vice-president; Louise Stockton, secretary; Elva Madison, treasurer and members Harold Gibson, Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe Cooper and E. J. Relethford. Garden Sass, the marketing group for locally grown products, is opening Tuesday and Friday at the location. Elder said hours are usually from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Group officers said they were “looking for a heavy arrival of products” this Friday.
Vanderhoef named FCA’s ‘Female Athlete of the Year’

Lorelei VanDerhoef, a senior at Cassville High School, was awarded “Female Athlete of the Year” and a $1,000 scholarship from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of South Central Missouri in a special ceremony at Big Cedar Lodge in Branson on April 1.
Jig On the Water, May 4

May 4, 2025
Rich Cummings: Don’t let anger ruin your heart

There is a lost art in our nation, and that is the art of loving our enemies.
Scoreboard, May 7
The Cassville boys track and field team earned 11 individual medals and a 7th-place team finish at the Big 8 Conference meet Thursday in McDonald County. Individual results include:
District softball seeds set
Three Barry County softball teams will compete in Purdy this week and next in the Class 1, District 5 tournament, hosted by Purdy High School.
Teresa “Tessa” Rich

Teresa “Tessa” Rich, 51, from Washburn, Mo., passed away on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo.
Southwest grads say ‘aloha’ to high school

Colton Phillips, Southwest High School graduate, hugs his grandmother, Marsha Myers, during the flower presentation at Friday’s commencement ceremony.
Clarence Thomas “Bud” Scott, Jr.

Clarence Thomas “Bud” Scott, Jr., age 75, of Rocky Comfort, Mo. passed away Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Mo.
Vanessa Rae Puryear

Vanessa Rae Puryear, 63, of Cassville, Mo. passed away on May 2, 2025, at Northwest Medical Center in Springdale, Ark.




