Linn County News
Published December 18, 2024
Mark Bradley Lee, 61, of La Cygne, Kansas died Friday, December 13, 2024 surrounded by his loving family.
Mark was born February 8, 1963 in Paola, Kan., the son of Lewis N. Lee and JoAnn Gregory. He graduated from Prairie View High School with the Class of 1981. A sense of duty to God and country inspired Mark to join the United States Army on June 1, 1981, where he excelled in marksmanship and earned numerous awards including the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. Mark was deployed to the Gulf War where he participated in Desert Storm. Mark retired with the rank of Sergeant First Class (E7). During his enlistment he was always striving to be the best soldier possible. He considered his personal greatest achievement to be his induction into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club (S.A.M.C.). “This is a private U.S. Army organization for enlisted non-commissioned officers (NCO) only. Those NCO’s whose leadership achievements and performance merit special recognition may possibly earn the reward of membership. Members must... “...exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development and welfare of Soldiers and concern for families of Soldiers (FORSCOM Reg. 600-8, paragraph 1).” In order to even be considered, a soldier must be recommended by his NCO chain-of-command and to be officially accepted into this exclusive club the soldier must pass a rigorous board examination process.
Mark spent many years working as a Data Technician. He retired from IBEW Local #124. Mark was a community-minded person, he spent many summers coaching baseball in La Cygne. Mark was an avid outdoorsman and loved to fish, especially for crappie. Mark never met a stranger and he always had a story to tell. And he enjoyed listening to stories as much as telling them so it was only natural that when he opened his bait shop in Pleasanton, he named it Fishing Tales. He especially took great pride in being a grandfather to Rowan who affectionately called his grandfather, “Papa Fish.” His children were unanimous that “family was everything to him.” Mark had a few more loves, he loved his coffee and he loved playing poker with anyone who would have a seat at the table.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include two sons, Gavin (Marisa) Lee, and Clayton J. Lee; three daughters, Sidney Burchett, Kaysia Burchett, and Madison (Adam) Bazemore; two brothers, Rickey (Sandy) Lee, and Randy (Robyne) Lee; one sister, Debbie (J.R.) May; one grandson, Rowan Lee; five nephews and one niece, Jarrett May, Colton May, Dillon May, Laura Lee, Clayton G. Lee, and Nic Lee; numerous great-nieces, and great-nephews, and a host of extended family and friends.
Funeral Service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, at Schneider Funeral Home and Cremations, La Cygne Chapel. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until service time. Burial will follow the service in East Mount Zion Cemetery. The Fort Riley Funeral Honors Team will provide military honors. The family suggests memorial contributions to Ray of Hope, c/o Schneider Funeral Home, PO. Box 304, La Cygne, Kan. 66040. Online condolences may be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.
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: Benefits question an issue for county employees

A poll sent to Linn County employees mid-week asking which benefit they would prefer to lose has created a spark of animosity among those who received it. One person anonymously shared it to a Mound City-oriented Facebook page as a screen shot along with their comments highlighting... [More]
Commissioners discuss various budgets

SEKMHC in mix At the end of a meeting attended by two of the three commissioners, a discussion was held regarding several of the proposed budgets for next year. Commissioners Alison Hamilton and Jim Johnson first discussed the proposed budget for Southeast Kansas Mental Health.... [More]
City learns of fire gear condition

Pleasanton Fire Department ISO inspection July 16 Following the appointment of new Fire Chief Jimmy Watts as Pleasanton Fire Chief, the Pleasanton Council heard of the condition of bunker gear Monday night at their bi-weekly meeting. Watts reported the truck ran with the... [More]
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SPORTS
Nobodys wins Blue Mound co-ed softball tournament

The team called Nobodys wins the Blue Mound 4th of July co-ed softball tournament on July 5. This year the tournament consisted of eight teams. The Nobodys is Keith Morrell’s team and has been a part of the softball tournament since it started three years ago.
Pleasanton 12-14 baseball wins championship

The Pleasanton 12-14 baseball team wins their league tournament on June 30 to July 1. Pleasanton hosted the tournament and won in the championship against La Cygne 11-7.
More Sports
- 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
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- Pleasanton and Jayhawk baseball on the 2025 All TRL team
- Jayhawk Linn softball has three All TRL unanimous selections
- Trenton Broyles leads Hawks at State track
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

