Linn County News
Published July 19, 2023
Glen Robert "Bob" Brownback, age 92, of Garnett, Kan., formerly of Parker, Kan., passed away on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at the Rock Creek Care Home in Ottawa, Kan.
Bob was born on Feb. 3, 1931, on a farm near Harris, Kan. He was the third of four children born to Orville Glen and Leora M. (Ellington) Brownback. Bob's family moved to a farm near Centerville in 1932. Bob graduated from Parker High School in 1948. The official records may not have a picture of Bob as "the" Kansas farmer, but that may be appropriate if it did. He may have struggled to remember a birthday, but he could always recount the crop they raised in whatever year was being discussed. According to family records, Bob first drove a tractor at the age of nine. Visitors to the Parker Museum can search for a newspaper article telling of the Brownback boys (Bob and Billy) breaking a tractor in half.
On Oct. 1, 1950, Bob was united in marriage to Nancy Cowden at the First Presbyterian Church in Osawatomie, Kan. Their union was blessed with four children, Mary, Alan, Sam, and Jim. Bob and Nancy made their home on their farm east of Parker in 1953. Bob was a lifelong farmer and he only left the farm under duress when he was no longer able to get on to the tractor or the combine. They moved to Garnett in 2019 and Bob found joy in watching the birds and squirrels in the yard in town. In his free time, Bob enjoyed watching any John Wayne movie or every single episode of Gunsmoke. On the farm he loved his John Deere tractors, even though he thought the green paint was too expensive.
Bob was generous with his time away from the farm, serving on local boards, including the Parker and Prairie View School Boards, and the American State Bank board, Osawatomie. He loved their opportunities to travel. He especially enjoyed Las Vegas, cruises, and their trips traveling to Russia, Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Iceland, and Egypt. Bob instilled the value of an education in his family and was proud of the generations of his family that pursued higher education. His work ethic will be remembered by all who knew him, it was said that he would have worked in the nursing home, if they would have allowed it. He took pride in his farming operation, tending to his land and equipment constantly. Throughout his life, he faced many challenges with his health, in spite of the challenges he was always a fighter. In the end Bob's dementia was a challenge for the last few years of his life, but his love of his family and wanting to talk farming still remained.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Bill Brownback, and wife, Charlene; grandson, Scott Hazard; son-in-law, Ray Bakker; great-granddaughter, Amelie Brownback; and two brothers-in-law, Clayton Hodgson, and Bill Cowden.
Bob is survived by his wife of 72 years, Nancy Brownback, of the home; his children and their families, Mary Jewett and husband, Mike of Mesa, Ariz., Alan and wife, Nancy of Lyndon, Kan., Sam and wife, Mary of Topeka, Kan., and Jim and wife, Vickie of Parker, Kan.; 19 grandchildren; and 40 great-grandchildren (with more on the way).
Memorial services are planned for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at the Parker United Methodist Church, 403 W. Kimball, Parker, Kan. Bob's family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday evening at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel in Garnett, Kan. In lieu of flowers, Bob's family encourages taking a friend to lunch in honor of Bob. Condolences to the family may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.
OBITUARIES
Robert “Bob” Eugene Markley ~ 04-11-1936 to 04-15-2024
Linn County News Published April 17, 2024 Robert (Bob) Eugene Markley, 88, was born on his family farm north of Mound City, Kansas, April 11, 1936, to Aaron R. and Hallie (Bell) Markley. He passed from this life on April, 15, 2024, at the very place he was born,... [More]
Ronald Joe Smith ~ 05-10-1944 to 04-11-2024
Linn County News Published April 17, 2024 Ronald Joe Smith, 79, LaCygne, Kan., passed away Thursday, April 11, 2024, at Olathe Medical Center, Olathe, Kan. Visitation will be 10 – 11 a.m. Friday, April 19, 2024, at Bruce Funeral Home, 106 S. Center, Gardner,... [More]
Mary Tinsley ~ 12-15-1935 to 04-09-2024
Linn County News Published April 10, 2024 I, Mary Tinsley; being of sound mind and steadfast in my faith died today. My body decided to give out. Here I am, onto my next adventure, carried home to heaven by these wonderful angels shouting, ‘She is here, She... [More]
More Obituaries
- Frederick John “Fritz” Johanning, Jr. ~ 08-10-1948 to 03-26-2024
- Doris Maxine Basore ~ 01-02-1920 to 03-10-2024
- Janice (Good) Waltmire ~ 08-20-1937 to 03-09-2024
- Richard Lee Strader ~ 06-08-1974 to 02-24-24
- Robert William Harper, Jr. ~ 07-14-1947 to 02-24-2024
- Richard Eldon Baldwin ~ 07-21-1963 to 03-04-2024
- Michael Barry Hixon, Sr. ~ 08-31-1952 to 01-31-2024
- Charles Vernon Rowe ~ 08-14-1930 to 02-26-2024
NEWS
Commissioners appoint new county counselor
The Linn County Commissioners held several interviews in executive session following their meeting on Monday, Apr. 15, for the position of county counselor, legal advisor to the Board of County Commissioners. This week the commissioners appointed Mark Hagen, of Hagen Law Offices,... [More]
La Cygne accepts desludging cost
Biosolid removal at lagoons part of major sewer project La Cygne city leaders have accepted a cost for desludging at two of the city’s three wastewater lagoons. In a unanimous action at their regular meeting last Wednesday, the council approved $412,400 for... [More]
USD 362 sets capacity numbers
District now prepares for lottery applications Prairie View Unified School District 362 has set capacity numbers for the 2024-25 school year. At their monthly meeting April 16, the board of education unanimously adopted capacity of 80 students per grade level at... [More]
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- Pull Tabs for Pound Puppies
- Linn County Planning Commission proceeds with prohibiting commercial solar fields
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- Mine Creek Battlefield Foundation to hold music festival
- SEKMH presents outreach program to commissioners
- Linn Valley residents respond to council appointment
SPORTS
Prairie View softball goes 4-2 in busy week
The Prairie View softball team played three double-headers this past week. On April 15 they hosted Paola and swept the Panthers 16-7 and 8-7. Then on April 16 they traveled to Osage City and split against them losing the first game 4-10 and winning the second 6-3. On April 18... [More]
Pleasanton baseball sweeps St. Paul and Oswego
The Pleasanton baseball team recently played league foes St. Paul and Oswego and swept them each in double-headers. On April 15 the team traveled to St. Paul and won both games 13-1 and 16-3 and then on April 22 they hosted Oswego and won both games 15-0 and 17-2. In the... [More]
More Sports
- Prairie View track has strong performance at Anderson County
- Jayhawk track wins Pleasanton Invitational
- Pleasanton track hosts home invitational
- Jayhawk softball sweeps Crest
- Prairie View track takes on tough challenge at Paola
- Pleasanton baseball routs Yates Center
- Pleasanton baseball starts season 4-0
- Jayhawk softball sweeps Central Heights, splits against Uniontown
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com