Linn County News
Published March 15, 2023
C. H. Parker, age 80, formerly of Pleasanton, Kan., passed away Monday, March 6, 2023.
C.H. Parker was born into a Kansas family with a history in the early railroads of southeast Kansas. He was the youngest of four brothers all born to a dance instructor mother, Thelma Parker, and grocery store merchant father, Don Parker, of Pleasanton, Kan.
C. H. Parker leaves behind a legacy of what a true gentleman can accomplish in a lifetime. In the Pleasanton High School, he participated in debate, drama, basketball and football. After graduating in 1960, C.H. served in the U.S. Army attaining a rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He received his teaching degree in Theatre/Speech from Pittsburg State University. With that degree he became a young professor of Speech and Theatre at Northeastern State College in Tahlequah, Okla. In 1970, C. H. was accepted into the University of Texas, at Austin, graduate program for an MFA degree in Theatre.
Mr. Parker was with the “Trail of Tears” outdoor drama in Tahlequah, Okla., for several seasons, where he made professional friendships from the east coast theatre scene and eventually lead to his living and working in New York City in 1972.
C.H. went to New York to break into a directing career but found a job at a Broadway gym, where he became a trainer for several Broadway stars including Glynis Johns and Barry Bostwick who performed in the original “Grease” on Broadway. In late 1973, C.H. was asked to be part of a new pilot program in San Antonio, Texas, where urban city youth would be part of a nationally funded program study on Preventive Mental Health. As a charter member of this artistic team of professional arts instructors, Mr. Parker would guide high risk kids into the disciplines required for the arts and to retain those values along with the right amount of self esteem. C.H. devoted seven years to this program which received the national award for Most Outstanding Mental Health Center in the nation. President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter bestowed the honor on the pilot program that proved Preventive Mental Health was a worthwhile endeavor to invest in.
In 1980, C. H. returned to Tahlequah to become a professor of drama at Northeastern State University until his retirement several years ago. While at NSU, C.H became an advisor to various groups including Native American Studies, Muskogee's Country Music Hall of Fame where he became the staging director for the event, getting to work with Oklahoma greats as they were inducted. Carrie Underwood was a student of C.H.'s university staged country western musicals that featured Underwood before her career took off. Joe Sears, the Tony nominated actor/playwright for the “Greater Tuna” series of comedy plays was a student who always claimed Mr. Parker was his mentor for 54 years of professional friendship.
A champion of small town values, C. H. became and lived out the values of his hometown Pleasanton, Kan., never faltering on a devoted life to serving God as a Christian and a doer of good works in God's name. He cared for his mother in his home until she died at the age of 102. Mr. Parker will be laid to rest alongside his Pleasanton, Kan., family.
Funeral service will be 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Pleasanton Chapel with burial following in the Pleasanton Cemetery. Visitation will be held 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 10, at the Pleasanton Chapel. Memorial contributions are suggested to Northeastern State University Theatre Department, c/o Schneider Funeral Home, P.O. Box 525, Pleasanton, Kan. 66075.
OBITUARIES
Bonnie Faye Bishop ~ 03-25-1949 to 04-22-2025

Linn County News Published April 30, 2025 Bonnie Faye Bishop, age 76, Olathe, Kan., passed away Tuesday, April 22, 2025. She was born on March 25, 1949, in Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of William and Imogene Krueger Carter. After graduating from high... [More]
Lois A. Murray ~ 11-03-1931 to 04-20-2025

Linn County News Published April 30, 2025 Lois A. Murray, age 93, formerly of Pleasanton, Kan., passed away on Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Overland Park, Kan. Lois was born the daughter of Arlie and Winifred Stanhope Poindexter on Nov. 3, 1931, near Drexel, Mo.... [More]
Dr. Howard F. Wilson ~ 02-05-1938 to 04-20-2025

Linn County News Published April 23, 2025 Dr. Howard F. Wilson, age 87, of Garnett, Kan., passed away on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at St. Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park, Kan. Howard Frank Wilson was born on Feb. 5, 1938, in Garden City, Mo. He was the... [More]
More Obituaries
- Anna Louise Stites ~ 09-27-1946 to 04-13-2025
- Sandra Kay “Sandy” Crooks ~ 01-08-1949 to 04-13-2025
- Richard Lee Keaton ~ 01-29-1935 to 04-05-2025
- Linda Ann Pruitt ~ 05-08-1953 to 04-07-2025
- Ira “Sonny” Ray Caruthers, Jr. ~ 05-23-1955 to 04-02-2025
- Michelle Lynn Young ~ 05-20-1967 to 04-04-2025
- Phyllis Sybil Colbert ~ 11-23-1935 to 03-28-2025
- Joseph Francis “Mr. Joe” Cunningham ~ 03-17-1967 to 03-31-2025
NEWS
SPECIAL: Legislative Update

April 18, 2025 Kansas Land and Military Installation Protection Act, SB 9, prohibits foreign adversaries from purchasing property within 100 miles of a military installation and any foreign adversary ownership of non-residential real property purchased prior to July 1, 2025,... [More]
16 criminal cases from Tanglewood Lake incident dismissed

Late Wednesday afternoon, April 16, orders were filed dismissing all 16 current cases on file in Linn County District Court concerning the Tanglewood Lake gate incident, 14 of which were filed against separate individuals that stemmed from the incident in May 2023. According... [More]
Tanglewood seeks clarification, aid from county

During the April 21 meeting, Linn County Commissioner Jason Hightower reported to his fellow board members that he had met with the Tanglewood Lake board president and a resident the previous week and noted that they wanted a resolution or motion that clarified if the roads are... [More]
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- Commission workshop hears of justification for SEKMHC CEO $600,000 salary
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- Notice
- Public comment results in allegations of unethical behavior
- Parker reinstates local policing
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- Pleasanton approves zoning request
- La Cygne leaders talk future street improvements
SPORTS
Jayhawk track wins the Pleasanton Invitational

The Jayhawk Linn track team traveled to Pleasanton on April 15 for the Pleasanton Invitational. The Hawks did very well as both the boys’ and girls’ teams won the meet. The girls won with a score of 188 points while the boys won with a score of 127 points. There were... [More]
Pleasanton track places in top three at home invitational

The Pleasanton track team hosted their home invitational on April 15. The Jays did well as both the boys’ and girls’ teams placed in the top three out of nine teams. The boys were second with 92 points while the girls were third with 107.5 points. “It was... [More]
More Sports
- Jayhawk baseball earns first victories of the season
- Pleasanton boys’ and girls’ track teams win Oswego Invitational
- Prairie View softball falls in league contest to Iola
- Prairie View softball drops close games against Santa Fe Trail
- Pleasanton baseball falls to Southeast Cherokee and Marmaton Valley
- Jayhawk softball splits against Central Heights
- Prairie View softball starts season 3-1
- Pleasanton baseball opens season 2-2 against Oswego and Crest
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

