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
Jean Driskell ~ 03-22-1943 to 07-18-2025

Linn County News Published July 23, 2025 Jean Driskell, age 82, formerly of La Cygne, Kan., passed away Friday, July 18, 2025. Memorial service will be held 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Schneider Funeral Home, La Cygne Chapel. Visitation... [More]
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]
More Obituaries
- Helen Maxine Wright ~ 05-28-1939 to 06-19-2025
- 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
NEWS
Special: Resurfacing to begin on U.S. 69 in Linn County

A Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) resurfacing project on U.S. 69 in Linn County will begin the week of July 28. The project will resurface U.S. 69 with ultrathin bonded asphalt for just over 7 miles from Pleasanton to just north of... [More]
Pleasanton FD again at center of heated discussion

The majority of heated discussion came at the end of the Pleasanton City Council meeting Monday night during council discussion when Council people Bill Skipper and Angelina Randall squared off concerning the recent ISO inspection that occurred at the fire department. Skipper... [More]
La Cygne city to be below revenue neutral

Ad valorem revenue will decrease by almost $16,600, levy by over 7.6 mills The city of La Cygne will not only be revenue neutral but actually below neutral on its 2026 municipal budget. That was the report from Jodi Wade, city clerk, at last Wednesday’s regular... [More]
More News
- USD 362 files revenue-neutral exceedances
- Commissioners discuss airport future, request more information
- SPECIAL: Resurfacing on U.S. 59 in Anderson County to begin in August 4
- Commissioners vote to exceed revenue neutral
- Mulberry Limestone CUP approved by P & Z
- SPECIAL: Benefits question an issue for county employees
- Commissioners discuss various budgets
- City learns of fire gear condition
SPORTS
Pleasanton trapshooting team shows grit at National Championship

Eight members of the Pleasanton Trapshooting Team traveled to Mason, Mich., last week to compete in the USA Clay Target League National Championship. Five members participated in the team event, and all eight competed individually. The team was among 264 qualified teams competing... [More]
Blue Mound softball earns second place at Crest

The Blue Mound girls’ coach pitch team 1 places second at the TRL girls’ coach pitch tournament at Colony. The tournament took place from July 7 to July 9.
More Sports
- Nobodys wins Blue Mound co-ed softball tournament
- Pleasanton 12-14 baseball wins championship
- Gratton at Nationals
- 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
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

