Aileen Thompson Hurst, 98, of Salinas, Calif., passed away Dec. 8, 2016. She was born Nov. 8, 1918, in Prescott, Kan., to Claude B. and Olga (Faber) Thompson.
She was raised on a farm near Hume, Mo. Aileen grew up on the farm with her family and graduated valedictorian from Hume High School in 1935, two years ahead of her peers. Hume was a very small town, with little or no extracurricular activities. That meant her day was consumed with getting to school very early each day to hitch up and drive the horse-drawn school bus, then go immediately home to help milk up to 80 cows.
When she was 12 or 13, during a Sunday school trip to the Fort Scott public swimming pool, she noticed a handsome man showing off on the diving board. The next time they met he was playing trumpet in a local dance band. Aileen and Fred Hurst were married Sept. 4, 1941. Fred taught music in a number of Kansas public schools until moving to Hutchinson in 1955. At that time, Fred joined with George Johnson to manage, and ultimately own, the Hutchinson Music Center until Fred’s death in 1975. Aileen worked as chief accountant for Gano-Horace Grain until her retirement in 1979.
After her husband’s passing Aileen traveled extensively through Europe, Africa, Alaska, Panama and (in particular) Australia. Her sons were both Marine officers. As they were transferred from one duty station to another she moved nearby to be with her grandchildren.
Aileen is survived by her sons, Lt. Col. Stephen F. Hurst, USMC (Ret) of Salinas, and Maj. Douglas M. Hurst, USMC (Ret) of Montpelier, Va.; grandchildren Jennifer Hughes of Marina, Calif., Frederick D. Hurst, Fullerton, Calif., Heather Cashman of Haleiwa, Hawaii, Caitlin Hurst of Crown Point, Ind., Andrew Hurst, Richmond, Va., and Laura Hurst, Springfield, Va.; great-grandchildren Lizzy Stanton of San Francisco, Calif., Madeline Hughes of Marina, Bobby Hurst of Fullerton, Calif., and Jacob Cashman, Dylan Cashman and Taylor Cashman of Haleiwa.
No funeral services are planned. Burial will take place at Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Scott, Kan., at a date to be determined.
OBITUARIES
Burton Clyde Brownback ~ 05-21-1953 to 07-13-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Burton Clyde Brownback, age 72, Tri-Ko resident in Osawatomie, Kan., passed away Sunday, July 13, 2025. He was born on May 21, 1953, in Kansas City, Mo., the son of Clyde and Shirley Drake Brownback. He graduated from Prairie View... [More]
Ruth Ann Antrim ~ 05-21-1951 to 07-07-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Ruth Ann Antrim, formerly Hueston, passed away July 7, 2025, after bravely battling cancer for many years. Ruth Ann was 74 years old. She lived and worked in the Mound City and Fort Scott, Kan., areas her... [More]
Helen Maxine Wright ~ 05-28-1939 to 06-19-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Helen Maxine Wright, age 86, formerly of Blue Mound, Kan., passed away at her home in Abbyville, Kan., on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Funeral service was held at 11 a.m., Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Community... [More]
More Obituaries
- Kelly Kehl ~ 03-25-1938 to 06-28-2025
- Kandi Kay Cruse ~ 03-29-1958 to 06-27-2025
- Jessica Cae Pritchett ~ 08-30-1981 to 06-26-2025
- Jackie Junior “Jack” Hewitt ~ 07-17-1935 to 06-18-2025
- Priscilla “Pat” Haney Smith ~ 11-19-1935 to 06-07-2025
- Ron Arbogast ~ 08-31-1946 to 06-05-2025
- Richard “Dick” Smith ~ 04-18-1942 to 06-22-2025
- Charles Edwin Sutterby ~ 06-20-1951 to 06-19-2025
NEWS
SPECIAL: Benefits question an issue for county employees

A poll sent to Linn County employees mid-week asking which benefit they would prefer to lose has created a spark of animosity among those who received it. One person anonymously shared it to a Mound City-oriented Facebook page as a screen shot along with their comments highlighting... [More]
Commissioners discuss various budgets

SEKMHC in mix At the end of a meeting attended by two of the three commissioners, a discussion was held regarding several of the proposed budgets for next year. Commissioners Alison Hamilton and Jim Johnson first discussed the proposed budget for Southeast Kansas Mental Health.... [More]
City learns of fire gear condition

Pleasanton Fire Department ISO inspection July 16 Following the appointment of new Fire Chief Jimmy Watts as Pleasanton Fire Chief, the Pleasanton Council heard of the condition of bunker gear Monday night at their bi-weekly meeting. Watts reported the truck ran with the... [More]
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SPORTS
Nobodys wins Blue Mound co-ed softball tournament

The team called Nobodys wins the Blue Mound 4th of July co-ed softball tournament on July 5. This year the tournament consisted of eight teams. The Nobodys is Keith Morrell’s team and has been a part of the softball tournament since it started three years ago.
Pleasanton 12-14 baseball wins championship

The Pleasanton 12-14 baseball team wins their league tournament on June 30 to July 1. Pleasanton hosted the tournament and won in the championship against La Cygne 11-7.
More Sports
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team places seventh at State, Wallace earns State championship
- Joey Ewalt impacting youth wrestling here and abroad
- Prairie View trapshooting competes at State
- Pleasanton and Jayhawk baseball on the 2025 All TRL team
- Jayhawk Linn softball has three All TRL unanimous selections
- Trenton Broyles leads Hawks at State track
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

