40 years ago

august 1, 1979

Grant Avery, 24-year-old chief teller of the Peabody State Bank, was shot to death after an extortion attempt and kidnapping Sunday night at Peabody.

Marion County Sheriff June Jost found Avery’s body at about 6 p.m. Monday on a road two miles north of Peabody and a half-mile east of the Canada Rd.

Bessie Suffield of Florence is the subject of this week’s Personality Profile column. Mrs. Suffield is an attractive, hard working woman with a talent for organizing whatever she is doing.

Julie Hett is pictured wearing the crown of 1979 Tri-County Fair Junior Miss. She is the first girl from Marion County to win the title since 1974. Julie will compete this fall in the Kansas Junior Miss pageant at Belleville.

Champions of the 1977 and 1978 “Anything Goes Contest,” Marion’s adult PRIDE team finished fifth this year. Buoyed by performances like Jamie Shirley’s in the Bucking Bronco Relay, the youth team finished second, bringing home a $50 prize for the PRIDE program.

Bea Martinez grew an 8-pound 16-inch zucchini in her garden at 220 W. Santa Fe. It is the largest entry to date in the annual Marion County Record produce derby.