thumb

Linn County News

Published March 10, 2021

Alfonso Gainer Jr. (Junior), 86, of Garnett, Kan. (formerly Centerville, Kan.), died on Sunday, March 7, 2021.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 11, 2021, with the funeral service to follow at 7 p.m. at Dengel & Son Mortuary, Louisburg, Kan. Burial will be held later with the immediate family at the Queen of the Holy Rosary Cemetery in Wea, Kan., beside his son, Christopher Allen Gainer.

Junior was born on Oct. 28, 1934, in White Pine, W. Va., the son of Alfonso Gainer Sr. and Opal Regina Bennett Gainer. He was raised in a very humble home in the hills of West Virginia. His first job was working with Tracy Lydicks where he worked a team of mules pulling logs. His wages were $2 per day, and it was hard work. Junior attended Trace Fork School in West Virginia. After completing the eighth grade, to escape working in the coal mines of West Virginia he joined his cousin, Ron Gainer, in Kansas for promises of good employment. He went to work for a tree trimming company and worked at a gas station in Shawnee, Kan. He later went to work as an operator in the heavy equipment construction business. On Oct. 1, 1958, he joined International Union of Operating Engineers Local 101 as a heavy equipment operator. After retiring he worked just as hard at home and helping others as he did prior to retiring.  

Al met his future wife, Mary Ellen Stahl, at the young age of 17. Mary Ellen and Al were set up on a blind date by his cousin, Ron Gainer, and Mary Ellen’s cousin, Edna Kupersmith. They were married at the Queen of Holy Rosary Church in Wea, Kan., on May 1, 1954. Al and Mary’s marriage lasted for 67 wonderful years!  

In 1958, after living in Raytown, Mo., Al and Mary purchased a new home in Shawnee, where they resided until 1980 when they moved to Linn County, Kan. Junior enjoyed fishing, deer hunting and hunting for morel mushrooms, tinkering with his tractors and taking drives. He was also ready to help his kids and anybody else that needed it.  

After moving to Linn County, Junior and Mary then moved to their newly built home in Centerville, Kan. They always planted a large garden, enjoyed having company and especially loved it when all the kids and their families were there on Sunday afternoons for a big meal and fellowship.   

He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfonso and Opal Gainer; sons, Robert (Bob) Gainer and Christopher (Chris) Gainer; sister, Joan Hughes; and brothers, Edwin “Ed” Gainer, Jack Gainer, Vurl Bland and Burl Bland.  

Survivors include daughter Joyce Stoughton (Randy), Osawatomie, Kan.; son Doug Gainer (Lisa), Parker, Kan.; sister Lelia Gainer of St. Charles, Mo; grandchildren Jessica Berg, DeAnna Morgan and Dalton Gainer; and five great-grandchildren, Emery Morgan, Dakota Berg, Liam Berg, Hadley Morgan and Owen Morgan. 

Though he remained in Kansas for the rest of his life, his heart never left the mountains of West Virginia.  He returned there as often as possible to visit family and friends and to hunt in the places of his youth on Turkey Knob.  

Memorial contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice or Queen of the Holy Rosary Cemetery c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, P.O. Box 669, Louisburg, Kan. 66053.

To leave a special message for the family online, please visit www.dengelmortuary.com

Arr: Dengel & Son Mortuary Louisburg Chapel

OBITUARIES

Jackie “Jack” Howard Shroyer ~ 01-24-1940 to 09-04-2025

thumb

  Linn County News Published September 10, 2025   Jackie "Jack" Howard Shroyer, age 85 of Prescott, Kan., passed away on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. Jack was born the son of Eugene and Lillie Ruth (Blangy) Shroyer on Jan. 24, 1940, in Prescott, Kan. He... [More]

Wallace “Mack” Probasco ~ 07-05-1959 to 09-02-2025

thumb

Linn County News Published September 10, 2025   Wallace “Mack” Probasco, age 66 of Pleasanton, Kan., passed away at his home on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. He was born the son of Francis Mack and Edna E. Wallace Probasco on July 5, 1959, in Fort Scott,... [More]

Martha F. Couch ~ 01-03-1929 to 07-18-2025

thumb

Linn County News Published September 10, 2025   It is with much sorrow that the family of Martha Frasier Couch, a woman of deep faith and compassion, shares the news that she passed away peacefully on July 18, 2025, just months after the passing of her husband, Keith,... [More]

More Obituaries

View All Obituaries

NEWS

Property taxes and how they work

thumb

In Kansas, there is a definitive process for determining what the property taxes are on any given piece of property. Did you know that according to SmartAsset.com Linn County has the second lowest property tax average in the entire state? According to information available... [More]

Pleasanton Fire Department personnel hiring questioned

thumb

What started out as a department update from Pleasanton Fire Chief Jeff Wisdom, turned into a showdown between councilmembers and the mayor in who was hired as volunteer firefighters in Pleasanton. Wisdom informed the council he was beginning training for new firefighters September... [More]

Commission ‘bares’ down to pass public nudity ban

thumb

Linn County commissioners passed a resolution banning public nudity at its Sept. 2 weekly meeting, delayed a day for the governmental Labor Day holiday. Resolution No. 2025-16, enacted on a 2-0 vote with Alison Hamilton not present, forbids nudity on public property or outside... [More]

More News

SPORTS

Alvarez leads Pleasanton cross country

thumb

The Pleasanton cross country team traveled to Garnett for their first meet of the year on Sept. 4 at the Annual Jerry Howarter Invitational. The Jays had runners in both the junior high and high school races.  Dominic Alvarez led the Hawks as he earned a medal and placed... [More]

Jayhawk football starts season with shutout over Central Heights

thumb

The Jayhawk Linn football team traveled to Fort Scott on Sept. 5 to host the Central Heights Vikings for their first game of the season. This was supposed to be a home game for the Hawks but had to be played at Fort Scott because the field was not ready. The game began with... [More]

Spradling era kicks off with oohhs and 'Oz'

thumb

Jason Spradling's head coaching era at Prairie View debuted with plenty of oohhs and 'Oz' Friday night. The oohhs came from an offensive running attack that amassed 612 rushing yards, all but 99 in the first half, and saw Buffalo four-year starters Parker Schwarz gain 287 yards... [More]

More Sports

PLEASANTON WEATHER

OBITUARIES POLICY

• May be mailed, e-mailed, faxed or hand delivered.
• Must be received by 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning in order to appear in that week's edition.
• Obituaries submitted by funeral homes will be billed to the funeral home.
• Full obituaries submitted by individuals are required to be paid in advance.
• Cost: $40 for 300 words or less. Each additional word over 300, 10¢. Photograph $5.
Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

View Legals for Free