Out of the past: April 9

1997

For 47 years, Ratliff Grocery has been an unchanging institution for the people living in South Cape Girardeau; unfortunately, what national grocery chains and the Mississippi River couldn't beat may come to an unwilling end due to Father Time; ill health has caused Juanita Ratliff, owner of Ratliff's Grocery since 1950, to close the business, and she is unsure whether the store will reopen.

CHESTER, Ill. -- Motorists crossing the Mississippi River bridge between Perry County in Missouri and Chester may have some slow going over a six- to seven-month period starting next week; the on-again, off-again project to repaint and renovate the bridge is on again; the $4.7 million renovation, which will include sandblasting and repainting of all steel and guardrails and deck repairs, will probably start Monday.

1972

The Rev. Paul McLaughlin of Neosho, Missouri, has been named an instructor of religion at Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau and associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Jackson; he succeeds the Rev. John Bales, who has been appointed administrator of St. Cecilia Church in Kennett, Missouri, and St. Joseph Church at Steele, Missouri.

Judith Farris, a Cape Girardeau native, is guest soloist at Red Star Baptist Church at the morning worship service; she is a voice student at Madame Uta Graf of New York; in February she appeared in a recital at the Philadelphia Civic Center Museum and was a prize winner in the 1971 Marian Anderson auditions in Philadelphia and in New York's National Arts Club auditions.

1947

Next of kin of Cape Girardeau County men who lost their lives overseas during the war are beginning to receive letters from the Navy and War departments asking what disposition they desire to make of the remains; families have the option of having loved ones' remains interred in a permanent military cemetery overseas; to have the remains returned to the United States for burial in a private cemetery; to have the remains returned for burial in a national cemetery or to have the remains returned to a foreign country, homeland of the deceased.

Lt. Cmdr. D.W. Gilmore has been give formal appointment as commanding officer of the 129th Division, U.S. Naval Reserve, Ninth Naval District, located in Cape Girardeau; this amounts to activation of the division, for which men are being rapidly recruited.

1922

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week; a special children's service is held in the morning at the Methodist Episcopal Church; pastor of the church is the Rev. C.A. Neumeyer.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra plays a concert here in the afternoon under the auspices of the Southeast Missouri Teachers College that is an outstanding success from every standpoint; director Rudolph Ganz proves himself a very gracious visitor, at once gaining the favor of his big audience; soloist is violinist Michel Gusikoff.

-- Sharon K. Sanders