John Donald Riggs Jr. of Parker, Kan., was born Feb. 2, 1931, and went home to be with the Lord Jan. 30, 2016, to be reunited with his wife Osee.

John and Osee were high school sweethearts at Parker High School. During his senior year, John played center for the Linn County Champs. He was offered a scholarship to attend and play football for Emporia State University, but instead decided to get married and start his family with Osee. John and Osee were united in marriage Dec. 17, 1950, and were blessed with six children. John and Osee made their home in Kansas City, Kan., where they raised their family.

John started working in 1950 for Sealright, Inc. out of Kansas City, Kan. He started as a maintenance man and worked his way up to supervisor. He worked for Sealright, Inc. for 42 years until he decided to retire in 1993.

In 1993, after John retired, he and Osee moved back to Parker and built a home on the family farm. John and Osee were very active in the Parker community, volunteering for Boy Scouts, the Parker Museum, the Parker Historical Society, the local food pantry and the Parker United Methodist Church. 

John was always an avid outdoorsman. He took his children camping, hunting, and fishing. He was outside as often as possible. In the spring and summer he would help Osee with a big garden where they grew various vegetables. They canned things like salsa, jellies and vegetables. John was known to make fudge for years. He even sent fudge to his cousin, who was in a submarine, during the Vietnam War. During basketball season you could find John watching the KU basketball team. He loved telling his kids and grandkids stories and he was very good at it.

John was preceded in death by his loving wife Osee Ellen (White) Riggs; daughters, Linda Riggs and Nancy Green; his parents John Riggs Sr. and Elsie (Petty) Riggs Cresson; twin brother, James Riggs; half-brother, Ray Riggs; and half-sister, Laura Bell Atkinson.

He is survived by his sons, John III (Molly) of La Cygne, Kan., Joseph (LaVeda) of La Cygne, Kan., James (Sarah) Fort Scott, Kan., and Jeffrey (Kristin) of Louisburg, Kan.; half-sisters, Darlene (Sonny) Carroll of Garden City, Kan., and Laurna Pendergraft of Lakeland, Florida. John is also survived by his loving grandchildren, Jo Anne Bair, Joshua Riggs, Erika Laney, Justin Riggs, Jessica Stiles, Joey Riggs, RaeAnna Riggs, Jedidiah Riggs, Billy Gooderl, Julie Burk, and Jesse Funk in addition to 20 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be 11-12 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Service will follow at the Parker United Methodist Church, Parker, Kan.

Burial will be in Cadmus Cemetery, Cadmus, Kan.

 

Memorials are suggested to Boy Scouts of America and may be sent in c/o Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home, P.O. Box 430, Osawatomie, Ks 66064

OBITUARIES

Priscilla “Pat” Haney Smith ~ 11-19-1935 to 06-07-2025

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Linn County News Published July 2, 2025   Priscilla “Pat” Haney Smith passed away Saturday June 7, 2025, at the Stoneybrook Retirement Community in Manhattan.  She was born on Nov. 19, 1935, in Topeka, Kan., to Neil and Gladys (Goldsmith)... [More]

Ron Arbogast ~ 08-31-1946 to 06-05-2025

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Linn County News Published July 2, 2025   Ron Arbogast, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, coach, teacher, and friend, passed away peacefully at home on June 5, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was 78. Born Aug. 31, 1946, in Fort Scott, Kan.,... [More]

Richard “Dick” Smith ~ 04-18-1942 to 06-22-2025

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Linn County News Published June 25, 2025   Richard "Dick" Smith, age 83, formerly of Pleasanton, Kan., passed away in Olathe, Kan., on Sunday, June 22, 2025. Graveside Service will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Pleasanton Cemetery. Contributions... [More]

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PLEASANTON WEATHER

NEWS

NOTICE:

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Due to a scheduling conflict, the commissioners will not be meeting today, June 25th, for a second budget workshop. The meeting has been rescheduled for July 2nd. 

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Requests declaratory judgement that roads are private   The Tanglewood Lakes Owners Association, Inc. (TLOA), filed a lawsuit in Linn County District Court on June 6, 2025, against the Linn County Board of County Commissioners requesting a declaratory judgement from... [More]

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On June 20, following an extensive investigation by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Linn County Attorney’s Office filed a case in district court charging Erik Hellner, a Sugar Valley Lakes resident, with six separate felonies. The case originally stems from... [More]

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SPORTS

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