Lavona Marie (Gilkey) Bradley, age 49, passed away unexpectedly at her home in Prescott, Kan., on Oct. 15, 2016. She was born Jan. 29, 1967, in Butler, Mo. Lavona was the youngest of six children born to Bobby Ray Gilkey and Della Marie (Black) Douglas.
Lavona attended school in Rich Hill, Mo., until her junior year. She worked many years at Oak-N-Things in Rich Hill and later at Food Fair in Mound City, Kan. She finished her career as a caregiver at Prescott Country View Nursing Home where she dedicated 15 years of her life. She lived in Rich Hill the majority of her life until moving to Mound City around 1995 and later to Pleasanton, eventually making her home in Prescott.
Lavona was a free-spirited, fun-loving woman who loved life to the fullest. Lavona was always a spunky fireball of a person who always made get-togethers fun.
Lavona loved her family and they loved her; there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her kids, brothers, sisters, mother, and friends, and especially her grandkids. She was a granny and was proud to be one; from the moment she found out she was finally going to be a grandma she was ecstatic about it. She always told her kids and grandkids, “There ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough, to keep me from getting to you.” And yes, she would sing it! She loved every minute of being a grandma and she rocked at it. Her grandkids were the light of her life. There wasn’t a time she didn’t talk about her grandkids; she loved them very much and they loved her just as much.
Lavona’s several nieces and nephews will tell you how much they loved her and how excited they were to see her at family events. She always knew how to have a good time. At work, she was considered a “work mom” to some of her co-workers, even when they disagreed she’d let them know it and they would go on and it would be over.
She was a very caring person and if she could help you in any way—whether it be by giving you food, money, etc.—she would help and then tell you not to worry about it. She just loved to help people.
Lavona loved fishing, swimming, mushroom hunting and being outside, sitting on her back porch listening to music and having a beer. She also loved to be in the sunshine working in her yard and keeping it looking nice. One thing she looked forward to on her days off was going shopping with her brother Freddy, and then going to see her mother. She loved to go to town with her husband, Martin. Sometimes it would be to shop, other times it was because they needed to be somewhere, and sometimes just to drive around town. It didn’t matter where they went; it just mattered that she was with the people she loved and she loved being with them.
Lavona was preceded in death by her father and her grandparents.
She is survived by her husband, Martin, of the home; four children Jennifer (husband Jeremy), Louie (wife Charity), Christopher (wife Jenn) and Gloria; three stepchildren Craig (wife Erica), Travis (Megan) and Sarah (husband Matt); 22 grandchildren Jayden, Jeremy, Jack, Kyler, Kylee, Uriah, Sydney, Jordan, James, Maddisyn, Carolyn, Anthony, Bodee, Brylee, Bailee, Breana, Zachary, Laynee, Olivia, Robert, Ethan and Michael. Lavona is also survived by her mother; four brothers Johnny Ray (wife Nellie), Bobby Joe (wife Peggy), Freddy (wife Georgia) and Dewey (wife Shannon); one sister Carol (husband John); several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Funeral services were held Friday, Oct. 21, 2016, at Heuser Funeral Home in Rich Hill. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Lavona (Gilkey) Bradley Memorial Fund, in care of Heuser Funeral Home.
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
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- 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
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- 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]
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