June LaVeigh Fossey passed away on Friday morning, July 18, 2014 at her home in Mound City, Kan., at the age of 97 years and 3 months. She was born at Prescott, Kan., on April 18, 1917 to Anton and Mary Brown Smith.
After graduating from Prescott High School at the age of 17, she passed the county teacher examination. That fall, her first teaching job was at a one-room school three miles east of Prescott called Indian Creek School. June went on to teach at Prescott, Mapleton and finally at Mound City where she retired from in 1979 after teaching 45 years. During this time, she received her master’s degree from Pittsburg State Teacher’s College. Literally hundreds of children have benefited from her dedication to teaching.
June and her husband, Leighton, were avid antique collectors. They both enjoyed traveling and going to antique shows and auctions all over the United States searching for rare and unique antiques.
Music was very prominent in June’s life. She started playing the piano at age eight and was still playing last week. Three things were top on her list of importance: family, friends, and education. Not having children herself, her nieces and nephews (for several generations) became her kids.
As for friends, she had many. Not just her neighbors but her church family and in several organizations that she belonged to as well.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Leighton Fossey in March of 2003, her parents, and two brothers, Anton (Bub) Smith, Jr. and Clayton Smith.
She is survived by her stepdaughter, Mildred Reed of Hutchinson, Kan.; a niece, Sharon Carbon of Mound City and a nephew, Rex Smith and wife Raquel of Garnerville, Nev.; as well as two grandchildren, Nathan Reed and wife Suzanne and Amanda Reed-Knapple and husband Jared; plus six great-grandchildren and 10 great-nieces and nephews; and 10 great-great nieces and nephews and 10 great-great-great nieces and nephews.
Her generosity and love will be missed by many, many people.
Thank you, Lord, for letting us enjoy June for as long as you did.
June will be laid to rest in Prescott, Kan. where she grew up.
Funeral service was held Monday at the Mound City Christian Church. Burial was in the Prescott Cemetery. The family suggests contributions to the church. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com. Arrangements: Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Mound City Chapel.
OBITUARIES
Burton Clyde Brownback ~ 05-21-1953 to 07-13-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Burton Clyde Brownback, age 72, Tri-Ko resident in Osawatomie, Kan., passed away Sunday, July 13, 2025. He was born on May 21, 1953, in Kansas City, Mo., the son of Clyde and Shirley Drake Brownback. He graduated from Prairie View... [More]
Ruth Ann Antrim ~ 05-21-1951 to 07-07-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Ruth Ann Antrim, formerly Hueston, passed away July 7, 2025, after bravely battling cancer for many years. Ruth Ann was 74 years old. She lived and worked in the Mound City and Fort Scott, Kan., areas her... [More]
Helen Maxine Wright ~ 05-28-1939 to 06-19-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Helen Maxine Wright, age 86, formerly of Blue Mound, Kan., passed away at her home in Abbyville, Kan., on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Funeral service was held at 11 a.m., Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Community... [More]
More Obituaries
- Kelly Kehl ~ 03-25-1938 to 06-28-2025
- Kandi Kay Cruse ~ 03-29-1958 to 06-27-2025
- Jessica Cae Pritchett ~ 08-30-1981 to 06-26-2025
- Jackie Junior “Jack” Hewitt ~ 07-17-1935 to 06-18-2025
- Priscilla “Pat” Haney Smith ~ 11-19-1935 to 06-07-2025
- Ron Arbogast ~ 08-31-1946 to 06-05-2025
- Richard “Dick” Smith ~ 04-18-1942 to 06-22-2025
- Charles Edwin Sutterby ~ 06-20-1951 to 06-19-2025
NEWS
SPECIAL: Resurfacing on U.S. 59 in Anderson County to begin in August 4

A Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) resurfacing project on U.S. 59 in Anderson County is scheduled to begin the week of August 4. The project will resurface 15 miles of U.S. 59 using a hot-mix asphalt overlay, beginning at the Allen/Anderson... [More]
Commissioners vote to exceed revenue neutral

Set public hearing for Aug. 25 Near the end of the July 14 meeting, the Linn County Commissioners opened a discussion on the 2026 proposed budget with Commissioner Jim Johnson attending only this portion of the meeting via telephone and budget consultant Scot Loyd... [More]
Mulberry Limestone CUP approved by P & Z

A conditional use permit to form a rock quarry at 2400 and Valley Roads in March of 2024 has once again come before the Linn County Planning & Zoning Commission Tuesday night. The quarry, projected to be 48 acres to produce high-grade limestone qualified for use in both... [More]
More News
- SPECIAL: Benefits question an issue for county employees
- Commissioners discuss various budgets
- City learns of fire gear condition
- La Cygne leaders discuss food truck follow-up
- special: SCOTUS agrees to hear Women's Sports Case
- SPECIA;: Schmidt Votes to Cancel Massive Tax Hike, Secure Border, and Lower Federal Spending
- NOTICE:
- Pleasanton awarded $617,000 KDOT street grant
SPORTS
Pleasanton trapshooting team shows grit at National Championship

Eight members of the Pleasanton Trapshooting Team traveled to Mason, Mich., last week to compete in the USA Clay Target League National Championship. Five members participated in the team event, and all eight competed individually. The team was among 264 qualified teams competing... [More]
Blue Mound softball earns second place at Crest

The Blue Mound girls’ coach pitch team 1 places second at the TRL girls’ coach pitch tournament at Colony. The tournament took place from July 7 to July 9.
More Sports
- Nobodys wins Blue Mound co-ed softball tournament
- Pleasanton 12-14 baseball wins championship
- Gratton at Nationals
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team places seventh at State, Wallace earns State championship
- Joey Ewalt impacting youth wrestling here and abroad
- Prairie View trapshooting competes at State
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

