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Linn County Journal
Friday, May 29, 2026
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Features, Obituaries, Public Notices, State News
Inside the Journal
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Page 2 – Features, Obituaries, Schools, State News
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Public Record
Public Notices
Obituaries
To go to our Obituary Archives, click here.
Roberta Louise Childers
August 4, 1929 — May 26, 2026 La Cygne, Kansas Roberta Louise Childers, age 96, formerly of La Cygne, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, May 26, 2026. She was born on August 4, 1929, in Linn County, Kansas, the daughter of Theodore R. and Jessie L. Wade Reynolds. She graduated from Pleasanton High School. She enjoyed traveling. Her working career involved being a nursing home administrator at several facilities. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Robert Reynold
Jackie 'Jack' Harris
December 4, 1950 — May 21, 2026 Lee's Summit, Missouri Jackie Ray “Jack” Harris, 75, passed away on May 21, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of service, dedication, and memories that will be cherished by all who knew and loved him. Jack dedicated much of his life to serving others through military and law enforcement service. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force as a Vietnam Veteran before beginning a distinguished career in law enforcement. He serve
George W. Ernst
G August 6, 1942 — May 25, 2026 Pleasanton, Kansas George W. Ernst, III passed away Monday, May 25, 2026. He was born on August 6, 1942 in Kansas City, Kansas the son of George Ernst II and Mildred Ernst. He graduated from Rosedale High School. He worked as an electrician before retirement and was a member of IBEW Local #124. George enjoyed taking entertaining and making people feel at home. He is survived by a stepson Mark Hill and wife Rhonda; three grandchildren, Han
Ruth Ellen Stainbrook
February 12, 1933 — May 16, 202s La Cygne, Kansas Ruth Ellen Stainbrook, age 93, La Cygne, Kansas, passed away Saturday, May 16, 2026. She was born on February 12, 1933, at home to Fred and Lucy Henderson Carothers. She graduated from La Cygne High School in 1950 where she was a cheerleader and homecoming queen. Ruth Ellen was united in marriage to Wilbur Lee Stainbrook on August 16, 1950. She worked for Business Men's Assurance Company, Braemore Sewing, and as a cook for Pra
Gary Wayne Simpson
January 17, 1952 — May 13, 2026 Mound City, Kansas Gary Wayne Simpson, age 74, Mound City, Kansas passed away Wednesday, May 13, 2026. He was born on January 17, 1952, in Mound City, Kansas, the son of Kenneth and Maxine Davis Simpson. He graduated from Mound City High School. Gary was united in marriage to Mary Self on April 17, 1971. Gary and Mary owned and ran Moto Power Gas and Oil for many years. He then went to work as a custodian at Jayhawk-Linn High School. Gary enjoy
Henry 'Hank' Boedicker
June 9, 1937 — April 25, 2026 Paola, Kansas On Saturday, April 25, 2026, Henry “Hank” Frank Boedicker of Paola, Kansas, passed away at Homestead Assisted Living in Paola. He was blessed with amazing people who helped him live gracefully over the last four years. “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why.” Hank’s “why” was to live, laugh, and love. He was very good at all three. You may have heard one of his famous one-lin
William Alvin Good
January 26, 1933 – May 11, 2026 William Alvin “Bill” Good, 93, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Monday, May 11, 2026, at home with his family by his side following a brief illness. Bill was born January 26, 1933, in Merwin, Mo., to Ralph Russell and Hayden Frances (Williamson) Good. He married Donna Louise Stainbrook on September 27, 1953, at the Stainbrook family farm and she survives of the home. Bill grew up in Mound City, Kan., and graduated from Mound City High School with th
Features
Commentary: A dreamland for bison; Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is an American gem
A winding trail makes its way through Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Strong City in February 2023. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector) By Huascar Medina Kansas Reflector contributor A trail hike can walk you back into your soul. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve hiking trails provide over 40 miles for you to do so. Located two miles north of Strong City, the preserve is about a 30-minute drive west of Emporia on U.S. Highway 50. There is no charge to visit, and you c
Commentary: AI companions can give constant support — but distort ideas about what a relationship really is
Human love is valuable precisely because it’s limited — we can’t be everything to everyone all the time. (Photo by Ben Collins / Upsplash By Oluwaseun Damilola Sanwoolu Special to the Kansas Reflector When the movie “Her” debuted in 2013, its plot felt like science fiction. The protagonist, Theodore, is a jaded man with no vigor for life. He comes alive after talking daily with his artificial intelligence chatbot, Samantha, with whom he eventually falls in love. But today peo
La Cygne's cemetery steps into the digital age
This kiosk is located at the entrance to the Oak Lawn Cemetery on the west side of La Cygne. Originally designed to hold a list of those buried there, it now has posters with a QR code for visitors to use with their smart phones to find a grave. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com LA CYGNE – It feels a little strange at first, taking a virtual walk – of sorts – through the Oak Lawn cemetery in La Cygne. You can
Commentary: Growing up along Route 66 wasn’t all kicks. But it was the road that made me.
The visitor center at Baxter Spring is a restored 1930 gas station along historic Route 66. (Photo by Carol M. Highsmith / Library of Congress) By Max McCoy Kansas Reflector On warm nights when my bedroom window was open I could hear the endless stream of vehicles on Route 66. We lived in a small house at the east edge of Baxter Springs and across the street from my window was a pasture and on nights when there wasn’t any wind the sound of escape — the rushing of tires, the s
State, Regional News
Kelly signs law strengthening oversight, regulation of pharmacy middlemen
Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill on April 9, 2026, regulating pharmacy benefit managers, the middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) By Morgan Chilson Kansas Reflector TOPEKA – Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill regulating companies that operate as middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry, demanding transparent transactions and guardrails to protect consumers and pharmacists. Senate Bill 20 regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), whi
Kansas’ four members of U.S. House vote to endorse farm bill legislation
All four U.S. House members from Kansas — three Republicans and one Democrat — join a bipartisan majority to approve a bill covering a wide swath of federal food and agriculture programs. In this image, harvest work proceeds in Nebraska amid a period of high fertilizer costs and low crop prices. (Photo by Gary Stone of Nebraska Extension/University of Nebraska-Lincoln) By Tim Carpenter Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — The three Republicans and one Democrat representing Kansas in the
Kansas pastor enters U.S. Senate race as Democrat, wants to give Roger Marshall an early retirement
Adam Hamilton, pastor of the largest United Methodist Church in the country, announces his candidacy for U.S. Senate on April 30, 2026, in Prairie Village. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector) By Anna Kaminski Kansas Reflector PRAIRIE VILLAGE — A Kansas City-area pastor will run for U.S. Senate as “an independent-minded Democrat,” putting to bed months of speculation that he would challenge U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall as an independent. Adam Hamilton, founding member and se
Kansas Democrats running for governor clash on CoreCivic, party establishment in forum
Democratic candidates for governor — Sen. Ethan Corson and Sen. Cindy Holscher — participate in a forum April 26, 2026, at the Aztec Shawnee Theater. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) By Sherman Smith Kansas Reflector SHAWNEE — Kansas Sen. Cindy Holscher positioned herself at a Sunday night Democratic forum as the anti-establishment candidate for governor with a history of winning in legislative districts formerly held by Republicans. Her top opponent in seeking the p
GOP ethics complaint says Kansas City-area pastor improperly used church resources
The Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of Church of the Resurrection, is considering an independent run for the U.S. Senate. (Kansas Reflector screen capture) By Anna Kaminski Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — Kansas Republican Party leaders filed a federal ethics complaint against a Kansas City-area pastor who recently began exploring an independent run for U.S. Senate. GOP leaders allege Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, “bla
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