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News
September 30, 2022
‘Good, hard-working person’ donates entire estate to St. Jude’s
By Lynn Adams

Benjamin Brown, a longhaul truck driver, knew his death was inevitable. Before he passed on Jan. 30, 2021, he took stock of his 67 years living in Greenwood, Ark., and most recently on rural acreage near Sallisaw, and wondered if his life mattered. Did his time on Earth make an impression? How might he be remembered, if at all?

To be sure, his was not a life of hopelessness, yet he was drawn to the pediatric treatment and research titan organization that bears the name of St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes.

And he decided he wanted to be remembered for helping others, those faced with a hopeless cause.

For Brown, the biblical story of the widow‚s mite was an appropriate parable. As Jesus explained to His disciples, while rich people may have donated a lot of money, they did so out of their surplus. When a poor widow gave just two small copper coins, she gave all she had. “This poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury; for they gave out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, gave all she owned, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:43-44 So Brown established a trust, and directed executors of his meager estate to sell his house and everything he owned, combine the proceeds with money from his savings and donate it all to St. Jude Children‚s Research Hospital.

When Brown succumbed to health problems, discharging his final wishes became the responsibility of his longtime friends and designated executors, Paul and Sue Gilliaum of Greenwood.

“He didn‚t have a lot of instructions for us,” Sue said. “He had given us the instructions before he died — he knew he was dying. We met with his attorney and him, it was all very legal, but he knew exactly what he wanted, and he told us, so we did our best to do it exactly the way he wanted.”

One specific instruction Brown had was for the Gilliaums to present an oversized check in person on the St. Jude‚s campus and to take a photograph to be published in the newspaper.

In 2021, however, the world remained in the grip of COVID-19. So, as Sue Gilliaum explains, the process of disposing of the assets of Brown‚s estate and the health safety restrictions involved in the subsequent in-person donation of the proceeds to St. Jude‚s made for a long and arduous journey.

“That‚s why it took so long for us to be able to get [to Memphis] and present the check,” Sue said. “He had no personal experience with St. Jude‚s, he just felt like that was a really good, excellent hospital, so that‚s what he chose.”

On Sept. 8, the Gilliaums were able to make the presentation to St. Jude‚s of an oversized check in the amount of $152,000.

Those who knew Brown were not surprised that he had amassed a tidy sum that he then donated to a worthy cause.

“He was a good, hard-working person,” Sue said. “He never had any debt.”

Brown lived a private life, Sue said, and his body was cremated. He requested that no funeral service be held, and declined to have an obituary published.

One final instruction to the Gillliaums was that he wanted his ashes spread along I-40 on the way to Memphis, where St. Jude‚s is located.

“I think that‚s illegal,” Sue said, “so don‚t say we did it … but we did.”

Promoting awareness
A: Main, Main...
Promoting awareness
March 21, 2023
Sallisaw Mayor Ernie Martens this week signed three proclamations declaring National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, Vaping Awareness Month and Alcohol Awareness Month in Sallisaw. On hand for the signin...
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Graffiti found at Brushy School under investigation
A: Main, Main...
Graffiti found at Brushy School under investigation
By Lynn McCulley Staff Writer 
March 21, 2023
Brushy School Superintendent Jared Armer said someone wrote graffiti on the school’s storm shelter and the incident is currently under investigation. Armer, who has served as superintendent of the sch...
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I-40 shooter set for jury trial sounding docket
A: Main, Main...
I-40 shooter set for jury trial sounding docket
By Amie Cato-Remer Editor 
March 21, 2023
A Dallas, Texas man who shot two others on Interstate-40 near Vian in July 2021 is scheduled for a 9 a.m. March 23 jury trial sounding docket, according to Sequoyah County court records. Lee B. King, ...
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Sallisaw, Vian residents transported following Sunday accident
A: Main, Main...
Sallisaw, Vian residents transported following Sunday accident
By Amie Cato-Remer Editor 
March 21, 2023
Three people were transported Sunday afternoon following a collision on US-64 and 4570 Road, about four miles west of Sallisaw, according to an accident report issued by Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP)....
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Man charged with child sexual abuse
A: Main, Main...
Man charged with child sexual abuse
To appear for docket
By Amie Cato-Remer Editor 
March 21, 2023
A Sallisaw man who was originally charged in 2021 with three felony counts of child sexual abuse, one felony count of rape first degree by instrumentation, and two felony counts of rape, first degree,...
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Man charged in fentanyl overdose death of Vian man
A: Main, Main...
Man charged in fentanyl overdose death of Vian man
To appear before Judge Waters
By Amie Cato-Remer Editor 
March 21, 2023
A Roland man who was charged in May 2022 with murder in the first degree-felony murder of a Vian man is set to appear before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters on March 22, according to Sequoyah Cou...
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Editor Picks
Resignations accepted by Roland school board
A: Main, Main...
Resignations accepted by Roland school board
By Amie Cato-Remer Editor 
March 21, 2023
The Roland Board of Education met on March 13 where they discussed and voted on several employment issues. The board accepted the resignations of Ag teacher and FFA advisor Myron Lockwood, Special Edu...
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SEQUOYAH COUNTY SCOREBOARD
Sports
SEQUOYAH COUNTY SCOREBOARD
March 21, 2023
Saturday, March 18 Vian 11, Amber-Pocasset 9 (Ripley Tournament final) Gore 17, Woodland 11 (Pioneer Festival) Friday, March 17 Vian 18, Atoka 12 (Ripley Tournament semifinal) Gore 9, Thomas-Fay-Custe...
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Sequoyah County sports calendar
Sports
Sequoyah County sports calendar
March 21, 2023
All teams listed are high school teams and all schedules are subject to change. THURSDAY, MARCH 23 •Sallisaw, Muldrow and Roland track and field teams at Wilburton (10 a.m.) •Gore track and field team...
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Coleman, Storako power No. 1 OU to Hall of Fame Classic sweep
Sports
OU SOFTBALL
Coleman, Storako power No. 1 OU to Hall of Fame Classic sweep
By Soonersports.com 
March 21, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — No. 1 Oklahoma completed the Omni Hall of Fame Classic sweep with a 7-1 win over No. 19/22 Auburn Sunday afternoon in OKC. Redshirt senior pitcher Alex Storako twirled a gem in the cir...
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Wolverines win Ripley Tournament Saturday
B: Sports
Wolverines win Ripley Tournament Saturday
By Lea Lessley Sports Writer 
March 21, 2023
The Class 2A ninth-ranked Wolverines went 3-0 last week at the Ripley Tournament to win the tourney for the first time since 2018. Ripley is located about 15 miles southeast of Stillwater. Vian head c...
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