April 6, 2026

Linn County News

Published April 8, 2026

Howard Chaney Herrmann passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.  He was born May 28, 1944, to Chester Keith Herrmann and Mila Frances (Chaney) Herrmann.

He started first grade in 1950 in the Washington one room school near where he lived. He attended the country school until it closed in 1957 and then began eighth grade at Blue Mound Grade School. He graduated from Blue Mound High School in 1962. 

After graduation Howard attended the U. S. Trade School in Kansas City, Mo., graduating in 1963. He worked for Chevrolet dealerships including both Whitley and Beckman Chevrolet and was Service Manager for Ryder Truck Rental for several years. 

He married Sharon Sue Brock on March 6, 1965. Sharon and Howard were married for 56 years before her passing in December, 2021, and were blessed with three children, Shawn Keith, Janet Lea, and Brandon Leon. After living in Chanute for several years, they moved back to Blue Mound and opened Howard’s Garage in 1978. Howard was a talented automotive mechanic and was well known in Linn County for his expertise. He was always willing to help when there was a need and treated his customers the way he wanted to be treated. 

Howard and his dad, Chet, owned and operated C & H Service for several years and in the early 1970’s, along with C & H employees, Loren Wilson and Steve Brown, and friends, L. M. Krull and Neal Wright, built a hot rod pulling tractor for competition in various summer tractor pulls. The tractor, named the Blue Angel, was painted a beautiful blue and was the first of its kind in this area to be custom built for tractor pulling competition. Howard eventually built five different tractors and competed in many tractor pulls across Kansas and Missouri including those held in Blue Mound on the 4th of July, annual pulls at Bethany, Mo., and the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson where he tied for first place. Howard and his crew won many awards during the ten plus years of competition. Tractor pulling was a family event with Howard, Sharon, and their kids plus many friends spending their summer weekends on the road to various pulls. 

In addition to his wife, Howard is preceded in death by his parents and grandparents; his sister, Keitha Ann; his best friend, Butch Snow and Butch’s wife, Sharon; and his brother-in-law, Ron Brock. He is survived by his three children, Shawn (Deb), Jan Miller, and Brandon (Jenny); grandchildren Zac George, Derek George, Marcus Miller, Tad Herrmann, Whitney Sparks, Garrett Lawrence, and Allyson Loden; and great-grandchildren Samantha, Hoyt, Holden, Knox, Weslynn, Fisher, Owen, and Hannah; sister-in-law, Janice Sprague; and brother-in-law, Don Brock; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside service will be 11 a.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026, at the Pleasant View Cemetery, Blue Mound. Visitation will be held 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the Schneider Funeral Home, Mound City Chapel.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Blue Moon Youth Center or Good Shepherd Hospice. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.