October 7, 2025

Linn County News

Published October 8, 2025

Letha Spillman, age 96, of Kincaid, Kan., passed away at her home on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025.

Letha Nadine Miller was born on June 19, 1929, in Blue Mound, Kan. Letha was born on the farm that was homesteaded by her grandfather. She was the fourth of five children born to Lester Ray and Stella Mae (Powell) Miller. Letha attended the one-room Cemetery country school in rural Blue Mound before graduating from Kincaid High School with the Class of 1947. Following school, Letha worked at the sewing factory in Garnett until she was united in marriage to Dean Spillman on March 3, 1950, in Mapleton, Kan. This union was blessed with three daughters: Sandra, Marsha and Deanna.

Letha was a dedicated farm wife, tending to their large garden, canning countless vegetables, dressing many chickens and milking the cows for many years. She will be greatly missed for her homemade noodles, her signature fried chicken with bread and butter, and her chocolate chip cookies that she always kept stocked in the freezer. Farm help was always treated to a hot noon meal. She attended every family event she could, including her grandchildren’s sporting events right up to the week before she passed away when she attended her great-granddaughter’s volleyball game and the Kincaid Fair parade. Christmas Eve at Letha’s will remain a cherished memory for the family.

Letha was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dean Spillman, on March 10, 2004; her brother, Don Miller; three sisters, Lorene McCollum, Nada Guffey, and Yvonne Underwood; and one great-granddaughter, Aliyah Nicholas.

She is survived by her daughters Sandra Kaiser and husband Virgil of Blue Mound, Kan.; Marsha Beckmon and husband Randal of Kincaid, Kan., and Deanna Krull and husband Max of Blue Mound, Kan. She is also survived by four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, who lovingly named her “Nana Get Out Cat”; two great-great-grandsons, with two more on the way; one brother-in-law, Denny Underwood of Wichita, Kan.; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, at Kincaid-Selma Community Church in Kincaid, Kan., with burial following in the Kincaid Cemetery. Letha’s family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service in Garnett. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice and left in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.