Linn County News
Published July 22, 2020
On July 17, 2020, Bobby Gene Ming Sr. entered into his rest at 70 years of age, at his home in Centerville Kan., surrounded by his loving family.
He will be dearly missed by his faithful, loving wife, caretaker and companion of 52 years, Sherry Diane (Jester) Ming; sons Bobby Jr. and Jonathan; and daughters Amber Ming and Cynthia Collins. Bob is now reunited with their deceased infant son, Charles Aaron Ming, who is buried in Wheeler, Texas. Bob was the oldest son of Hoyt Ming (deceased) and Ruby Ming (Robison) and had a younger sister, Sharon Ming, and younger brother Willie, and was preceded in death by sister Dianna Berry.
Bob was born in Mulberry, Ark., April 21, 1950, and the family travelled extensively, pastoring and evangelizing. For many of his teenage years they lived in an RV, and their home base was at the residence of the Jones family in VanBuren, Ark. He and Sherry met at a revival meeting and married early, and were together about a year before Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army. He completed his tour of active duty in 1971 as a paratrooper of the 82nd Airborne, trained in artillery, won honors in the “President’s 100 Marksmanship awards,” and went to school as an auto body repairman. When his active enlistment was completed, the family of three returned from Fayetteville, N.C., to Mulberry, Ark.
Bob eventually pastored in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas. During this time he also fell in love with doing street ministry and eventually moved to Kansas City to pastor and work with street people in an urban environment. During the early years he worked in Philadelphia, Penn., with the Teen Challenge drug and alcohol rehab program, and this eventually led to his being the director of Teen Challenge in Kansas City. In later years, Bob felt a challenge to his heart; God spoke to him in prayer to “forget his preconceived ideas.” This led to turning an active church, street and printing ministry over to others. He felt led to seek direction from the Holy Spirit which was sent to “lead and guide us into Truth.” This began a Sabbath experience, where he sought to renew his first love, to honor and refresh his relationship with God himself, rather than clinging to any ministry, work or belief. This wilderness journey led to many personal struggles, but ended with a rooting and grounding of the God who is Truth in his life and the lives of all of his children and many grandchildren.
Bob loved to play the guitar and worship his Lord, and also will be missed sorely for his silly songs and inimitable sense of humor. A dear high school classmate wrote, “Heaven has its hands full now that Bob is home … you know that he will be telling every corny joke he knows to everyone there ... We have all been blessed by his presence and down home Christian wisdom.”
Like Paul in the Bible, Bob often worked with his hands to help support his family and could do almost anything he set his heart on. His many skills were appreciated: carpenter, custom car painter, teacher, welder, electrician, mechanic, heavy equipment operator, inventor, custom hay hauler, salesman, and horse and dog trainer, and he had many other hobbies and creative activities such as building hot rods and trailers.
Kidney failure and heart trouble greatly complicated his last years, but much of his finances and efforts was spent towards the dream of an independent chapel in Centerville, where the lines of church and family blur, where informality creates a place of freedom and fellowship unconstrained with the loving God who has brought him personally through every hardship, every sorrow and every challenge.
When remembering his life, he would want you to laugh, as he so often did, your heart to warm at the thought of his love, and most of all to say he was a unique vessel in the hands of a wonderful God.
OBITUARIES
Priscilla “Pat” Haney Smith ~ 11-19-1935 to 06-07-2025

Linn County News Published July 2, 2025 Priscilla “Pat” Haney Smith passed away Saturday June 7, 2025, at the Stoneybrook Retirement Community in Manhattan. She was born on Nov. 19, 1935, in Topeka, Kan., to Neil and Gladys (Goldsmith)... [More]
Ron Arbogast ~ 08-31-1946 to 06-05-2025

Linn County News Published July 2, 2025 Ron Arbogast, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, coach, teacher, and friend, passed away peacefully at home on June 5, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was 78. Born Aug. 31, 1946, in Fort Scott, Kan.,... [More]
Richard “Dick” Smith ~ 04-18-1942 to 06-22-2025

Linn County News Published June 25, 2025 Richard "Dick" Smith, age 83, formerly of Pleasanton, Kan., passed away in Olathe, Kan., on Sunday, June 22, 2025. Graveside Service will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Pleasanton Cemetery. Contributions... [More]
More Obituaries
- Charles Edwin Sutterby ~ 06-20-1951 to 06-19-2025
- Windfred Allen DeMott ~ 09-15-1940 to 06-07-2025
- Maxine Breuel ~ 11-20-1926 to 06-07-2025
- Richard Paul Henderson ~ 07-26-1950 to 06-01-2025
- Rees Lyle Shattuck 08-31-1931 to 05-26-2025
- Dixie Bradley Wilkerson 10-15-1939 to 05-30-2025
- Gary Ray Johnson 03-10-1935 to 05-28-2025
- Gary Ray Johnson ~ 03-10-1935 to 05-28-2025
NEWS
NOTICE:

Due to a scheduling conflict, the commissioners will not be meeting today, June 25th, for a second budget workshop. The meeting has been rescheduled for July 2nd.
Tanglewood Lakes files suit against Board of County Commissioners

Requests declaratory judgement that roads are private The Tanglewood Lakes Owners Association, Inc. (TLOA), filed a lawsuit in Linn County District Court on June 6, 2025, against the Linn County Board of County Commissioners requesting a declaratory judgement from... [More]
Case filed alleging exploitation of minors, breach of privacy

On June 20, following an extensive investigation by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Linn County Attorney’s Office filed a case in district court charging Erik Hellner, a Sugar Valley Lakes resident, with six separate felonies. The case originally stems from... [More]
More News
- La Cygne executes pool bond defeasance
- CANCELED: Statewide Purple Alert issued for missing Yates Center woman
- Parker mayor seeks affidavits to file charges
- USD 346 board learns of overpayments
- NOTICE
- Commissioners discuss estimate on overlay project
- Pleasanton council meeting heated over fire personnel interviews
- La Cygne gas customers may see rate decrease
SPORTS
Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team places seventh at State, Wallace earns State championship

The Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team traveled to Wichita to compete in the Kansas Trapshooting State tournament. The tournament features more than 110 high schools and over 1,500 student athletes. Pleasanton/Jayhawk compete in the 2A competition which happened on June... [More]
Joey Ewalt impacting youth wrestling here and abroad

Prairie View’s head boys’ wrestling Coach Joey Ewalt does more for the sport than just coaching the Buffalos, he has made an impact on the sport as a wrestler, coach and official. Ewalt began his wrestling career at the very young age of four. His father, Mike Ewalt,... [More]
More Sports
- 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
- Prairie View track earns six medals at State
- Pleasanton’s Gratton wins two golds, sets meet record
- Jayhawk track breaks another school record and qualifies multiple athletes for State
- School records and State qualifiers are made for the Jays at Eureka
- Prairie View track qualifies multiple athletes for State
OBITUARIES POLICY
• May be mailed, e-mailed, faxed or hand delivered.
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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

