Connor Lynn Smith passed away at his home in Farmington, Minn., on May 4, 2016, after a long illness. 

Connor was born August 8, 1944, on a farm in Linn County, Kan., to Richard Dwight and Faith Junia Kibble Smith. 

He attended the one-room Union School until the eighth grade when he moved to the Pleasanton, Kan., schools. His boyhood was spent in the usual pursuits of a Kansas farm boy: hunting, fishing, playing sports and helping his father on the farm. He enjoyed the companionship of his sister and three brothers as well as numerous school and neighborhood friends.

After graduation from Pleasanton Rural High School in 1962, Connor joined the U.S. Naval Reserves on a college deferment. While attending Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kan., he served one weekend a month and two weeks each summer as an airman maintaining aircraft for squadron VA-882 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Olathe, Kan. Connor earned a B.A. in Physical Education in 1967. 

To begin his active duty obligation, Connor enrolled in Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla., where he earned his commission as an officer in the U.S. Navy. The new ensign’s first squadron duty assignment was to the Maintenance Department at Naval Training Squadron 25 (VT-25) at NAS Chase Field, Beeville, Texas, where he was responsible for keeping the aircraft operational for the student pilots, who were completing flight training during the years of the Viet Nam War. 

From VT-25, Connor was stationed at Fleet Composite Squadron 1 (VC-1), the Aliis, at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. He served as the head of the Squadron Maintenance Department, maintaining a variety of aircraft serving the fleet. 

His next assignment was to ship’s company, Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) on United States Ship (USS) Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) deployed in the Mediterranean Sea. From the ship’s homeport, Naval Station (NS), Mayport, Fla., Connor made two deployments. He was underway with the ship on one of these cruises when it collided with a Liberian freighter in the Straits of Messina. Both ships sustained damage but there were no casualties. 

In July 1976, prior to the decommissioning of the Roosevelt, Connor rotated to shore duty as head of the Maintenance Department for Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 4 (VQ-4) at NAS Patuxent River, Md. His mission during the three years he served in this position was keeping an EC-130 Aircraft in the air 24/7 to enable strategic communication with submerged submarines. 

In September 1980, Connor met the carrier, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), in the Indian Ocean where the president of the U.S. had dispatched it in response to the Iran hostage crisis. As AIMD officer, Connor made two other deployments to the Mediterranean and North Atlantic seas from the homeport in NS Norfolk, Va. During the Mediterranean deployment, the Eisenhower participated in the evacuation of U.S. Embassy staff from Beirut, Lebanon, as that country fell into civil war. He was promoted to the rank of commander during his assignment on the Eisenhower, which would be his final sea duty. 

From there, he was assigned to NAS Norfolk, Va., as AIMD officer and then, in June 1985, to the staff of the Office of Deputy Chief, Plans, Policy and Operations at the Pentagon. His next tour of duty was down the street in Crystal City, Va., to the staff of Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) where he was promoted to the rank of captain. His mission at NAVAIR was Naval Aviation Support Equipment. Connor’s final duty station, beginning in 1989, was at Naval Air Engineering Center, Lakehurst, N.J., later renamed Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, where his mission was Aircraft Platform Interface, providing facilities and services necessary to permit fixed and rotary wing aircraft to operate safely and effectively from ships at sea and from expeditionary airfields. During this five-year tour, he worked in support of Operation Desert Storm.

He retired in September 1994, earning various medals and commendations over his distinguished 27-year military service. 

After retiring from the Navy, Connor worked for consulting firms in the northern Virginia area and in Heidelberg, Germany. In 2006, Connor moved to Farmington, Minn., where he owned and operated a Quiznos restaurant. In his retirement he was able to indulge his love of travel both in the United States and Europe. 

Connor is survived by his wife, Gloria Smith; two brothers, Wilbur Smith (Verla) and Roger Dean Smith (Joanne); a sister, Coleta Wurtz (Bob); and three children, Lynessa Anne Erler (Gregory) of Burke, Va., Amanda Carol MacRae-Roesch (Craig) of Williamsville, N.Y., and Gregan Robert Smith of Burke, Va. He is also survived by his first wife and the mother of his children, the former Janis Lynn Nesbitt; two granddaughters, McKayla MacRae and Gabriella Erler; a stepdaughter, Annette Grimaldi (Angelo); a stepson, Ricky; three stepgranddaughters, Alexandra Erler and Nichole and Julia Grimaldi; two stepgrandsons, Ryan and Jason Roesch; six nephews and nieces; and other family and friends.

His parents and his brother, Leonard, preceded him in death. 

A memorial service was held May 11, 2016, at Henry W. Andersen Mortuary in Apple Valley, Minn., followed by burial on May 12, 2016, at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. 

Connor will be remembered for the humor he brought to life and the patriotism with which he served his country. 

OBITUARIES

John Clayton Bowman ~ 02-01-1944 to 08-17-2025

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Linn County News Published August 20, 2025   John Clayton Bowman, age 81, Parker, Kan., passed away Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. He was born on Feb. 1, 1944, in Goodrich, Kan., the son of John Thomas “Tom” Bowman and Carrie Theodoshia Shafer Bowman. John attended... [More]

Arnold Joseph Lickteig ~ 05-16-1931 to 07-31-2025

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Linn County News Published August 6, 2025   Arnold Joseph Lickteig, age 94, formerly of Greeley, Kan., passed away on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Colonial Oaks Senior Living at Spring Hill in Spring Hill, Kan. Arnie was born on May 16, 1931, on a farm east of Greeley,... [More]

Joe W. Mann ~ 09-02-1951 to 07-26-2025

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Linn County News Published July 30, 2025   Joe W. Mann, age 73 of La Cygne, Kan., passed away at his home on Saturday, July 26, 2025. There are no services scheduled at this time. Contributions are suggested to the Schneider Funeral Home and may be sent... [More]

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NEWS

Linn County News website gets new update

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Recently you may have seen our notification on our website or our Facebook page that we were undergoing some changes on our website at www.linncountynews.net. We here at the News are happy to announce those changes are nearly complete. Changes to the website include an easier... [More]

Commissioners vote 1-1 on motion to not exceed revenue neutral

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County now required to cut budget to meet the RNR rate BY $837,000   The Linn County commissioners, with Commissioner Jason Hightower absent, began the revenue neutral hearing on Monday, Aug. 25, by welcoming those in the audience and stating the purpose and objective... [More]

Linn Valley looks at option for fire truck purchase, new vehicles

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The Linn Valley City Council held a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, with Mayor Lew Donelson presiding and all council members present except for John Weers. City Attorney James Brun was also present. The meeting began with a presentation by city’s financial... [More]

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SPORTS

Frog gigging a new ‘old sport’

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It’s another one of those…So…stories. So, last weekend was an adventure. I’ve gotten involved with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Wild Foods Academy (WFA) that is a pilot program designed to educate many ‘left-0ut’ people’s... [More]

Fishing Derby kicks off at Linn County Fair

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The annual Linn County Fair and Rodeo Fishing Derby was held on the morning of Aug. 9.  Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks fish biologist Don George has been heading the derby since 1987 and this year was no different.  The derby was divided into three age... [More]

Linn County Farm Bureau hosts annual pedal pull

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The Linn County Farm Bureau Association hosted the annual kids’ pedal pull on the evening of Aug. 8. Kids 4 to 12 can compete in the event for a chance to earn a spot at the State pedal pull at Hutchinson.  Trophies and a place at the State fair was awarded to the... [More]

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