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Linn County News

Published Oct. 19, 2016

Margaret Eileen Needham, age 97, a former resident of Fort Scott, Kan., more recently of the Prescott Country View Nursing Home, died Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016, at the Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott. She was born Dec. 10, 1918, near Fulton, Kan., the daughter of James E. Foote and Lillie V. Peppard Foote. 

Margaret graduated from the Fulton High School. She married Richard Needham on Sept. 30, 1939, at Mapleton, Kan. She worked as a beautician in Mapleton for 34 years. She later worked as a tax preparer for H&R Block for 25 years. She also did bookkeeping and was a licensed real estate agent with Hammons Realty. Following retirement, Margaret helped foreign exchange students learn conversational English at Fort Scott Community College. She also volunteered with Mother to Mother Ministry, Tri-Valley Developmental Services and served as a board member for the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program. She was a member of the Fort Scott Community of Christ Church.

Survivors include three sons James Lee Needham, of Kansas City, Kan., Danny Glen Needham and wife, Margueritte, of Wichita, Kan., and Michael Don Needham, of Topeka, Kan.; a daughter Pam Ham and husband, Larry, of Fort Scott; five grandchildren Kirby Ham, of Olathe, Kan., Ashleigh Needham, of Topeka, Kirstan Henderson, of Maize, Kan., Jason Needham, of Ruidoso, N.M., and Jay Ham, of Holister, Mo. Also surviving are ten great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandson; and a sister-in-law Bessie Needham Kastl, of Topeka, Kan. 

Her husband, Richard, preceded her in death in 1987. She was also preceded in death by two brothers Kenneth and Eugene Foote and three sisters Edith Staley, Mildred Cooley and Helen Foote. 

Funeral services were held Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Mapleton Community of Christ Church. Burial followed in the Mapleton Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Tri-Valley Developmental Center and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

OBITUARIES

Kelly Renee Moore ~ 08-02-1963 to 10-13-2025

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Linn County News Published October 22, 2025   Kelly Renee Moore, age 62 Paola, Kan., passed away at her home on Oct. 13, 2025.  She was born the daughter of Ernest DeWayne and Neva Stillwagon O’Dell on Aug. 2, 1963, in La Mesa, Calif. Kelly loved... [More]

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Geneva Darlene Jennings ~ 11-15-1939 to 10-12-2025

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Linn County News Published October 15, 2025 Geneva Darlene Jennings, age 85, Pleasanton, Kan., passed away Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. She was born on Nov. 15, 1939, at Trading Post, Kan., the daughter of Charles and Daisy Rittinghouse Purdy. She graduated from Pleasanton High... [More]

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NEWS

Former Zoning Administrator explains KORA requests

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Snyder appointed Linn County Register of Deeds

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SPORTS

Prairie View football stays on top of their district with big win over Girard

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Prairie View volleyball finishes season at Girard

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The Prairie View volleyball team finished their regular season games at Iola this past week as they had a Pioneer League triangular against Iola and Osawatomie. They were in the 3A Regional quad at Girard on Oct. 20 and finished their season there going 1-2. To see the full... [More]

Jays lock in league runner up spot at Uniontown

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Just as the week before, Pleasanton turned first-half takeaways into touchdowns and won at Uniontown last Friday night, 45-12, in a Three Rivers League and Class 1-A, District 1 matchup. The win assures the Blu-Jays of at least their third consecutive second-place finish in... [More]

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PLEASANTON WEATHER

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