Linn County News
Published August 21, 2024
Leonard Dale Sprague passed away on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, at Parkview Heights in Garnett, Kan.
He was born March 17, 1934, at his family home near Lone Elm, Kan. Old Doc Kennedy, from Blue Mound, came to the farm west of Kincaid to deliver the sixth of seven children born to Arthur G and Ester Jean (Roberts) Sprague. Doc Kennedy had stopped on his way to the farm to treat a patient with scarlet fever and administered his first sulfa drugs to that patient. Unfortunately, he infected Dale with scarlet fever; however, Dale went on to enjoy 90 years of good health.
Dale’s love of farming and finance began at an early age when his dad gave him and two of his siblings three pigs to raise. The siblings’ pigs died but when Dale sold his pig for $24, he shared his profit with the two siblings, $8 each. From there his love of livestock and farming grew. Dale attended grade school at Lone Elm, then graduated from Kincaid High School in 1952. He was active in FFA, had his own cow herd, and achieved the FFA State Farmer Degree in 1949. He eventually had his own herd of registered Charolais cattle and sold and delivered cattle in nearly all of the lower 48 states.
On Feb. 14, 1954, Dale married Fern C. Huggins. Together they raised three children, Lonnie Dale, Latricia Bethine, and Shayla Daline. In 1975, Dale and Fern purchased the Farmers State Bank in Blue Mound. They later divorced.
On Easter Sunday, when Dale was 29 years old, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Dale had been conflicted for some time going so far as to make sure he was behind the barn when he knew a certain neighbor would be driving by on his way to church each Sunday.
On Aug. 6, 1982, Dale married Janice Brock Johanning adding another daughter, Elaine
(Johanning) Jaeger, and a son, Fred Johanning, to the family. They spent most of their married life on a farm northeast of Blue Mound. Dale continued his love of livestock raising several herds of cattle, elk, and buffalo over the years. In addition to prize winning Charolais cattle, he also won many awards for his buffalo at the Kansas Buffalo Association’s annual sale held in December.
Farmers State Bank continued to grow under Dale’s leadership and branches were added in Pleasanton in 1989 and Garnett in 1990. He often said that his greatest joy in banking was seeing his customers succeed using funds borrowed from the bank. He served as Chairman of
the Board of the bank until his death.
He loved his kids and grandkids and was very proud of each one of them. As great-grandkids joined the family, they brought him much joy as well. He loved to work and said that work was his ‘hobby’ but as he got older, time with his kids and grandkids became more and more precious.
Dale enjoyed hunting and has many ‘trophies’ to show for his efforts including bear, elk,
reindeer, antelope, alligator, wild hog, and a wild buffalo that he hunted in Utah, as well as various turkey, deer, and quail. In 1989, Dale and Janice went on their first ski trip to Colorado and at age 55, Dale learned to snow ski. After that they went on several ski trips usually about the time of Dale’s birthday. Whether skiing or escaping the hot Kansas weather in August,
Colorado was always one of Dale’s favorite destinations. In 2002, Dale completed an item on his bucket list and participated in the annual Bike Across Kansas finishing the 400-plus mile route on his bike at age 68. In 2022, Dale marked another item off his bucket list when he and
Janice went on a Gaither cruise to Alaska.
Dale joined the Gideon organization in 1996 and he and Janice participated in many Kansas and International Gideon Conventions and Bible Distributions. Dale even took part in one in Botswana, Africa, in 2000. He held Gideon offices at the state and local levels and served two
years on the International Finance Committee. He was active in the local Gideon camp until earlier this year when his health began to fail. He was also an active member of the Blue Mound Bible Church, Linn County Kansans for Life, sat on the Anderson County Hospital Board for 16 years, and the Board of the LifeCare Center in Ottawa for several years.
Dale was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings Virgie, Wilbur, Maxine, and his baby sister, Faye; and a granddaughter, Nicole Jaeger.
Dale is survived by his wife of 42 years and 12 days, Janice; son, Lonnie and wife, Jo Helen; daughter, Trish Gaynor and husband, Ron; daughter, Shayla Sprague and husband, Jody; daughter, Elaine Jaeger and husband, Erik; and son, Fred Johanning. Also surviving are grandchildren: Cory Gaynor, Joe Sprague (Nikki), Justin Sprague (Jenna), Preston Frazell (Kelli),
Brock Johanning (Carly), Blake Johanning (Molly), Dane Jaeger, Brenna Whittington, Natalie Jaeger (Sterling), and Cameron Johanning (Brooklynn); Great-grandkids Julianna, Shelby, Emory, Coralynn, Liam, Sam, Jagger, Maggi, Fisher, Maverick, Gunner, and Axel. Also surviving are his brothers, Ernest and Clyde.
Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, at the Blue Mound Bible Church. Burial will be in the Sunny Slope Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Mound City Chapel. Memorial contributions are suggested to Blue Mound Bible Church or The Gideons International. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.
OBITUARIES
Lila R. McCarty ~ 05-21-1938 to 03-08-2025

Linn County News Published March 12, 2025 Lila R. McCarty, age 86, of Parker, Kan., passed away on Saturday, March 8, 2025 in Richmond, Kan. A private family Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com. ... [More]
Norma Jean Harvey ~ 09-26-1935 to 02-21-2025

Linn County News Published March 5, 2025 Norma Jean Harvey, age 89, of Mound City, Kan., passed away Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. She was born on Sept. 26, 1935, in Kansas City, Kan., the daughter of William and Alta Pemberton Keener. She graduated from Turner High School.... [More]
Elizabeth Joyce Keaton ~ 02-14-1936 to 03-01-2025

Linn County News Published March 5, 2025 Elizabeth Joyce Keaton, age 89, Parker, Kan., passed away Saturday, March 1, 2025. Joyce was born on Feb. 14, 1936, in Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of Owen and Mildred Smith Gilchrist. She was united in marriage to Richard... [More]
More Obituaries
- Keith Couch ~ 06-22-1927 to 03-01-2025
- Michael Anthony Taylor ~ 11-21-1957 to 01-21-2025
- Barbara Jean Harbison ~ 10-16-1939 to 02-20-2025
- Jerold Chester Davis ~ 05-13-1937 to 02-19-2025
- Emma Darlene Peek ~ 05-11-1935 to 02-08-2025
- Raymond “Ray” Eugene Holsman ~ 10-08-1944 to 02-18-2025
- Lisa Courtois ~ 07-15-1966 to 02-16-2025
- Patricia Galcatcher ~ 10-29-1958 to 02-13-2025
NEWS
Commissioners discuss new option for Devlin Road

During the meeting of the Linn County Commissioners on March 10, Renee Slinkard of rural Parker, asked once again that the county look into the possibility of paving a three and half mile section of Devlin Road. Slinkard told the commissioners, as she had previously, that the... [More]
Board votes to extend Meik contract

Ray Scholarship discussed at USD 344 board meeting Meeting Monday night, again with a packed board room, the Board of USD 344 voted to extend Elementary Principal Nathan Meik’s contract through the 2026/2027 school year in a 4-3 vote; board members Cindy Inman,... [More]
Resident questions legal opinion on approved minor plat

On March 10, Jan Longnecker spoke to the Linn County Commissioners regarding a legal opinion given at the previous meeting on March 3 on the minor plat that was approved by a former Planning and Zoning Administrator for a property near Parker. Longnecker began by stating he wasn’t... [More]
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- Pleasanton Council moves forward with street grant process
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- Parker dissolves police department--for now
- STARS votes to separate from FSCC for upcoming school year
SPORTS
Pleasanton boys’ basketball earns Sub-State runner-up

The Pleasanton boys’ basketball team had quite the run to their Sub-State tournament bracket this year. The Jays were in the 2A Yates Center Sub-Sate Bracket 1 as a five seed. They won their first game against the 12 seed Eureka on Feb. 27 to advance to the semifinal... [More]
Prairie View girls’ basketball ends season against Neodesha

The Prairie View girls’ basketball team traveled to Neodesha on March 4 to compete in the 3A girls’ basketball Columbus Sub-State Bracket #2 semifinal. The girls reached this game by defeating Iola in the first round on Feb. 27 at Prairie View, 39-35. In this... [More]
More Sports
- McCarty leads Lady Hawks with a fourth-place finish at State
- Blu-Jays win sub-state shootout
- Jayhawk boys’ wrestling sends five to State
- Prairie View boys’ wrestling sends three to State
- Blu-Jays defeat two Missouri foes
- Jayhawk girls’ wrestling places third at East Regional as seven qualify for State
- Prairie View girls’ wrestling qualify six for State
- Pleasanton basketball faces TRL foes Southeast Cherokee and Northeast Arma
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

