Linn County News
Published Aug. 10, 2022
Merle A. Beckman, age 86, Mound City, Kan., passed away Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. He was born in rural La Cygne, Kan., on Oct. 5, 1935, the son of Charles and Neeva (Neal) Beckman. He graduated from La Cygne Rural High School in the Class of 1954.
He began a career in the auto industry in 1957, in a sales position with Kipper Chevrolet in Pleasanton, Kan. In 1977, he began working at Pointer Motors in Garnett, Kan. He bought the dealership in 1983 and acquired Anderson Ford in 1988; the two becoming Beckman Motors. He was involved in the business until 2017.
Merle was united in marriage to Gloria Daly on March 2, 1961. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Mound City, the Scottish Rite and Mirza Temple in Pittsburg, Kan. Merle loved his family, even though he might not have verbalized it. He had a passion for pulling horses. He and longtime friend, Kendall Hutton, began pulling ponies in 1962. Before the duo’s career was finished, they pulled ponies and draft horses in eight different states and amassed thousands of miles together. Merle won the Kansas State Fair pulling match in Hutchinson for seven straight years, six of them with the famous team of Bonnie and Clyde. Total, he won eighty-three matches with that team.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Bernard, Elmer, Lisle, and Seth Beckman; two sisters, Gladys Lane and Fern Bazules; and one grandson, Brant Beckman.
Merle is survived by his wife, Gloria; four sons, Raymond Beckman (Lori), Richard Beckman (Lauri), Rande Beckman (Sharon), and Cleve Beckman (Brenda); a daughter, Chilesa Bruner (Van); a sister, Edna Debrick; a great-nephew, Ronnie Beckman; sister in law and running partner, Joyce and Kendall Hutton; sixteen grandchildren; twenty four great-grandchildren and one on the way.
A gathering to celebrate Merle’s life will be held 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Mound City Chapel. Contributions are suggested to Children’s Mercy Hospital. Online condolences can be left at www.s
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

