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Linn County News

Published June 8, 2022

Alice Laverne Stude Widner was born March 18, 1931, in Haskell County, Kan., to John and Grace Jones Stude. She grew up and attended school in Copeland, Kan. She departed this life June 5, 2022. On Sept. 4, 1949, Alice married LaMonte(Lem) Widner and they spent the first few years of their married life in New Jersey where their son, Jim, and daughter Roselynn, were born. They returned to Copeland, Kan., in 1955 and lived there until 1965. 

During that time, Alice was busy raising her children, now numbering four with the addition of son, Danny, and daughter, Jeannie. In 1965, Alice and Lem and family moved to El Dorado Springs, Mo., where they owned and operated the C&H Motel. Alice also had a part-time job as a disc-jockey with the local radio station, KESM. In 1970 the family moved to La Cygne, Kan. Alice and Lem worked for the Allendale Camps as caretakers. A few years later they moved to Trading Post to run the Trading Post Museum. In 1998, Lem lost his battle with cancer. Alice continued to run the museum until 2014 when she finally retired at the age of 82. During the years at Trading Post, Alice wrote a byline, “Trading Post News,” for the county newspaper, The Linn County News. She usually included local historical tidbits in her articles. Alice became a devoted genealogist of local families and often gathered information for out-of-county people who had ancestors from this area. She was also a Civil War buff and became an expert on Linn County and its part in the Civil War. After retiring, Alice moved to La Cygne and had her own apartment. She enjoyed being an advisor, and a surrogate mother and grandmother to her friends and neighbors in her apartment complex. At the age of 90, Alice was no longer able to live by herself. She moved to the Louisburg Healthcare and Rehab Center and lived her remaining days there. 

Those of her family called home before her include her parents; five brothers, Lawrence, Howard, John, Vernon and Frank; and a sister, June Stude Sumpter. Her husband, Lem; son, Danny and his wife Cathy; daughter, Jeannie, and her husband, John Orth; daughter-in-law, Sherry Widner and grandson, Matthew Widner, also pre-deceased her. Those surviving include a son, Jim Widner, of Adrian, Mo.; and daughter, Roselynn, and her husband, Wilbur Armstrong, of La Cygne. Surviving grandchildren are Jeremy, Jennifer, and Jared (Lindsey) Armstrong, Dustin (Lauren) Widner, Logan (Lisa) Widner, Jodi (James) Meeks, Katie (Brent) Knop, Alexis Widner, and Krystal (Austin) Davidson. Alice also had 10 great-grandchildren. 

Memorial service 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at the Calvary Baptist Church, La Cygne. Visitation 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, La Cygne Chapel. Memorial contributions are suggested to Linn County Historical Society. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.

OBITUARIES

John Ted Miles ~ 01-29-1960 to 05-01-2025

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Linn County News Published May 14, 2025   John Ted Miles passed away suddenly May 1, 2025, at the Guest Home Estates Assisted Living Facility in Fort Scott, Kan. He lived at 9 N. Hillside Drive, Holiday Lakes, before his battle with diabetes caused blindness and a... [More]

Zachary Eldon White ~ 06-12-1992 to 04-29-2025

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Linn County News Published May 7, 2025   Zachary Eldon White, 32, of Mound City, Kan., died on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. He was born on June 12, 1992, in Fort Scott, Kan., the son of Roger and Jessica Smith White. He graduated from Jayhawk Linn High School in the Class... [More]

Rebecca S. Landers 12-30-1964 to 04-18-2025

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Linn County News Published May 7, 2025   Rebecca S. Landers, 60, wife of Troy Landers, passed away Friday, April 18, 2025, at the Horton House in Fort Scott, Kan. She was born Dec. 30, 1964, in Ottawa, Kan., the daughter of Maurice Edward Zimmerman and Sarah Ellen... [More]

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PLEASANTON WEATHER

NEWS

Pleasanton requests 1-year automatic aid fire extension

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Council opts to bolster fire department during grace period   Continuing what ended in a tabled discussion two weeks ago on whether to keep or dissolve the Pleasanton Fire Department, the council met Monday night at the Community Center and again heard from the public... [More]

Commissioners hear update, discuss aid agreement for Pleasanton FD

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During their May 12 meeting, the commissioners questioned Linn County Rural Fire Chief Randy Hegwald on where the county stood with mutual aid agreements with municipal fire departments, in particular the one for Pleasanton. Commissioner Jim Johnson noted he had received several... [More]

Filing deadline approaches for local seats

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Filing deadline is noon on June 2 for open positions on local city government and school district boards; as well as, for Linn County seats on the Marais des Cygnes K-State Research and Extension district board. Danielle Souza, county clerk, said that candidates can file for... [More]

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SPORTS

Pleasanton baseball splits against Jayhawk

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The Pleasanton baseball team hosted Jayhawk Linn in a double header on May 6. This was the Jays’ final regular season games before the 2A Regional tournament starting on May 14. The Jays split against the Hawks winning the first game 6-1 but losing the second game 3-6.... [More]

Prairie View softball defeats Osawatomie and Girard

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The Prairie View softball team played Osawatomie and Girard this past week.  The Lady Buffs did well as they traveled to Osawatomie on May 6 and beat the Trojans in a double header, 11-1 and 15-2. The team then hosted Girard on May 9 and the Lady Buffs won a close game... [More]

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• 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

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