Linn County News
Published March 23, 2022
Harold Edgar Goss, born Jan. 3, 1923, to Edgar Merritt Goss and Carrie (Tucker) Goss in Pleasanton, Kan., died, at the age of 99 on March 19, 2022, peacefully at his home in Leawood, Kan.
Harold grew up in Pleasanton, a small rural town south of Kansas City. His father was a teacher, a minister at the Disciples of Christ Church in Pleasanton, and a farmer of dairy cattle and honeybees. Harold began working almost as soon as he could walk, working on the farm, delivering milk from his father’s dairy to families in town, and traveling with his father to sell honey to country stores in southwestern Kansas and southeastern Missouri. When he turned 10 years old, he began working in “town.” He worked in the town grocery store, the filling station and the town theater, among other odd jobs. After graduating from Pleasanton High School in 1940, he hitchhiked to Garden City, Kan., and worked the wheat harvest during the summer of 1941.
Harold enrolled at the University of Kansas in the fall of 1941. He joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and was beginning to feel comfortable in Lawrence when Dec. 7, 1941, changed his life forever. He finished the semester and in May 1942 enlisted in the Army Air Corps soon to become the Air Force. He wanted to fly airplanes. He trained at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., Washington University and attended flight school in San Antonio, Stanford and Perrin Field, Texas. He spent time as a flight instructor before shipping out for Europe in January 1944. Harold flew a P-47 Thunderbolt. He had a fierce Jayhawk painted on the fuselage of his plane modeled after a Kansas University calendar he brought with him to Europe. A photo of him in his P-47 is hanging in the “Remembrance” section in the front entrance of Allen Field house in Lawrence, Kan. The Jayhawk on his airplane is the same fighting Jayhawk that is used on the helmets worn by the Kansas football team during the annual military honors game. Harold flew 62 missions in Europe out of the 53rd squadron of the 36th Fighter Group based in Louvain, Belgium. He received the DFC and Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters. Harold was headed to the Pacific when the war ended, and he returned home and to the University of Kansas in 1946. He remained in the Air Force Reserve after the war and retired after 28 years as a Lt. Col.
Back in Lawrence he met Betty June Sullivan, the only daughter of Maude and Frank Sullivan. Betty was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Kansas Business School. Harold claimed he met Betty in class. Betty had a different story. She said it was at a dance for the returning service men. We always believed her. Betty and Harold were married at the Chapel on KU’s campus on Feb. 7, 1947, a little more than a year after Harold returned from Europe.
After graduation from Kansas’s Business School, Harold began working for his father-in-law at the Kansas Department of Insurance in Topeka, Kan., while he and Betty continued to reside in Lawrence. They moved to an apartment on the Plaza in Kansas City in 1951. Harold started in the life insurance business with New England Mutual Life. He went on to become the General Agent for National Life of Vermont.
Among other organizations, he was a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Round Table, CLU and the Estate Planning Counsel of Kansas City. Harold enjoyed a lifelong career in the life insurance business, which he later shared with two of his sons, Gary and Michael. He was particularly thankful for the people that his work brought him to know and serve personally and professionally.
In addition to the love for their family and spending time with them, Harold and Betty loved to dance and listen to music. He was a member of the Carriage Club and the Vanguard Breakfast Club. It was seldom that they missed an opportunity to hear live music or attend a dance, Harold in his tux and Betty in a pretty gown until Betty’s death in 2010. Harold and Betty were longtime active members of the Country Club Christian Church on Ward Parkway. Their faith was an integral part of their lives and was reflected in their participation and contributions to many charitable organizations.
Harold was predeceased in death by his wife Betty and almost everyone else he knew. Not a bad life. He served his country, his family, his community. Harold will be missed dearly by his family. He is survived by his four sons, Harold Merritt (Joan), Frank Neil, Gary Tucker (Janet) and Michael Allen (Kit Smith); five grandchildren: Gregory Sullivan (Maggie), Peter Edward (Lindsay), Scott (Andy), Michael and Madeline; and four great-grandchildren: Charlie, Zooey, Annie and Eleanor. Dad is also survived by Judy Smith who the family could not be more thankful for her friendship and devotion to his care for the past 10 years.
A private service and burial will be held for the family. Contributions in Harold’s name may be made to the First Christian Church of Pleasanton, 613 Main St., Pleasanton, Kan. 66075.
OBITUARIES
Gary Ray Johnson ~ 03-10-1935 to 05-28-2025

Linn County News Published June 4, 2025 Gary Ray Johnson, age 90 of Pleasanton, Kan., passed away on May 28, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, June 2, 2025, at the Schneider Funeral Home in Pleasanton, Kan. Visitation... [More]
Rees Lyle Shattuck ~ 08-31-1931 to 05-26-2025

Linn County News Published May 28, 2025 Rees Lyle Shattuck, age 93, Prescott, Kan., passed away Monday, May 26, 2025. He was born on Aug. 31, 1931, in Boicourt, Kan., the son of Rees Wilbur and Lulu Elizabeth Black Shattuck. He served his country in the United... [More]
Wayne Eldon Long ~ 07-03-1942 to 05-24-2025

Linn County News Published May 28, 2025 Wayne Eldon Long, age 82, of Parker, Kan., passed away on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Wayne was born on July 3, 1942, in Garnett, Kan., the son of Homer Leon and Margaret Ethel (Collins) Long. He was one of three children and... [More]
More Obituaries
- John Ted Miles ~ 01-29-1960 to 05-01-2025
- Zachary Eldon White ~ 06-12-1992 to 04-29-2025
- Rebecca S. Landers 12-30-1964 to 04-18-2025
- Ira Johnathan “Sonny” Robinson ~ 04-10-1944 to 04-26-2025
- Paul Dean Benham ~ 09-23-1944 to 04-26-2025
- Bonnie Faye Bishop ~ 03-25-1949 to 04-22-2025
- Lois A. Murray ~ 11-03-1931 to 04-20-2025
- Dr. Howard F. Wilson ~ 02-05-1938 to 04-20-2025
NEWS
SPECIAL: Commission to vote Monday on Parker Center lease

Linn County commissioners plan to vote at their weekly 9 a.m. meeting next Monday, June 2, on a 99-year lease agreement with Parker and their Senior Center building. At Tuesday's weekly Commission meeting, delayed by a day because of Monday's federal Memorial Day observance,... [More]
Despite Chamber loss, Blast in the Park fireworks will go off

Council actions include split vote on deed conveyance Hearing of the disbandment of its local Chamber of Commerce, La Cygne leaders have verbally concurred that the city’s part in the annual Blast in the Park festivities will go on. Following that Chamber notification... [More]
Linn Valley discusses city hall funding sources

The Linn Valley City Council held its bi-monthly meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025, with Mayor Lew Donelson presiding and all council members present. Donelson informed the council of two potential opportunities for funding a new City Hall building. ... [More]
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- USD 362 board rejects adding bus A/C
- SPECIAL: Blue Mound man seriously injured in accident
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- Mound City council adopts rules for camping
- LCSO releases statement on incident
- Pleasanton requests 1-year automatic aid fire extension
- Commissioners hear update, discuss aid agreement for Pleasanton FD
SPORTS
Jayhawk track breaks another school record and qualifies multiple athletes for State

The Jayhawk Linn track team traveled to West Franklin on May 22 to compete in the 3A Regional. As a team the girls placed 10th with a score of 22.5 points while the boys were fifth with 56 points. This year the top three places in each event qualify for the State meet then... [More]
School records and State qualifiers are made for the Jays at Eureka

The Pleasanton track team traveled to Eureka on May 22 for a 2A Regional track meet. This year the top three places advance to the State meet along the top four times/distances not from the top three from all other Regionals. This year the Jays qualified eight athletes in seven... [More]
More Sports
- Lady Hawks win league as Hawks host TRL meet
- Pleasanton track sets school records at Pioneer League track meet
- Prairie View track sets meet and league records at Wellsville
- Pleasanton baseball splits against Jayhawk
- Prairie View softball defeats Osawatomie and Girard
- Jayhawk baseball earns win over Pleasanton
- Prairie View track has a great day as they host home invitational
- Jayhawk track places top three at Prairie View
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

