Linn County News
Published Dec. 9, 2020
Ralph Joseph “Jody” Hines passed away while in the arms of his loving wife on Dec. 3, 2020. A private visitation for the family will be held at the Bruce Funeral Home in Spring Hill at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 9. A public graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. at the Spring Hill Cemetery that afternoon. A Masonic Service will be conducted at the cemetery as well as the Rose Ceremony for the Royal Order of Jesters. Go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82558798156 to start or join a scheduled Zoom meeting showing the graveside service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Spring Hill Masonic Lodge #56 or the Oriental Band’s Ladder of Smiles. Condolences may be left at www.brucefuneralhome.com. Face coverings and social distancing should be practiced for Jody’s service. Arrangements: Bruce Funeral Home, 712 S. Webster, Spring Hill, Kansas 66083 (913) 592-2244.
“Jody” was born May 20, 1936, in Tucson, Ariz., the oldest son of Joe Hines and Helen Josephine Dangelmaier Hines. The family returned to Kansas from Sells, Ariz., when Jody was 3. Over the years, Jody was able to visit his birthplace a few times, most recently 10 years ago during a winter trip with his wife. Jody attended the one room Cherry Lane Grade School north of Olathe where his mother also attended school and he was a 1954 graduate of Olathe High School.
While attending high school Jody met his high school sweetheart, and eventual wife of 66 years, Barb. Everything that Jody and Barb did together was as a team and they worked side by side throughout life to build their legacy together. They were the proud parents of John (Sandy) and Jeff (Cammie), their two sons that they raised on the family farm north of Olathe.
Jody worked a handful of different jobs when he was first married, handling mail at Union Station, sorting cattle at the Kansas City Stockyards, working in a locker plant and eventually working at the Delco Plant in Olathe before leaving his last job in town to run the family farm. Jody was a dairyman for more than 25 years while row crop farming and running a cattle operation. In November 1995, Jody and Barb purchased their current farm near Parker, Kan., where they have lived since 2000. Jody built an eight acre “dream” lake on their new farm and thoroughly enjoyed allowing friends, neighbors and family to come down and fish or use the duck blind on the pond.
Jody had a lifelong passion for the great outdoors. He was an avid outdoorsman enjoying raising bird dogs, deer hunting, elk hunting, moose hunting, running a trap line, and more than anything fishing with his friends and family. Jody was an excellent fisherman. Jody and his family made 60 consecutive fishing trips to Corn Lake near Redditt, Ontario in Canada. During these annual trips Jody made many great friends, many whom he considered to be his family. These trips were planned and looked forward to the entire year as a reprieve from work on the farm.
In 1974 Jody became a member of the Spring Hill Masonic Lodge, where he was a past master, a membership that spanned more than 45 years. Jody was an excellent recruiter of good men and encouraged dozens of others to join over the years. He always looked forward to performing the First Degree as he welcomed a new brother into the fraternity. Jody was active in the Abdallah Shrine Temple where he was involved in the Oriental Band. Over the years he served as the Oriental Band President and was the Director of the Central States Shrine Association of Oriental Bands, an honor that he was very proud of. Jody and Barb met many lifelong friends through the Shrine and enjoyed several trips with friends over the years including cruises to Alaska as well as the Caribbean. Jody was a strong supporter of the Ladder of Smiles, sponsored by Abdallah Temple, a fund that raises monies to support the mission of the St. Louis Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children.
Jody had commented many times over the years that he was born at the perfect time. Growing up in a time where indoor plumbing and electricity were not available until he reached high school. He often talked about seeing the world move from horses and plows to all the conveniences of modern life. Many of his fondest childhood memories were from bouncing around in an old stock truck with his Dad and Grandpa as he rode around with them as they traded cattle throughout the countryside. The importance of family was a lesson that he learned early in life and one that followed him throughout.
Jody is survived by his wife Barb, of the home, sons John (Olathe) and Jeff (Parker); five grandchildren; Clint, Jeff, Jennifer, Keaton and Lindsey; and nine great-granddaughters. Jody was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Tom.
Thank you to all the doctors and nurses in ICU at Olathe Medical Center for excellent care of “Jody” Hines and his family.
OBITUARIES
Kelly Kehl ~ 03-25-1938 to 06-28-2025

Linn County News Published July 2, 2025 Kelly Kehl, age 87, of Mound City, Kan., passed away Saturday, June 28, 2025, at his rural Mound City home. Kelly was born March 25, 1938, south of Parker, Kan., to Keith (Tom) Emerson Kehl and Helen Edith (Giffin) Kehl. Kelly... [More]
Kandi Kay Cruse ~ 03-29-1958 to 06-27-2025

Linn County News Published July 2, 2025 Kandi Kay Cruse passed away on June 27, 2025, at the age of 67 after a valiant battle with cancer. Born on March 29, 1958, in Colorado Springs, Colo., Kandi’s zest for life and carefree spirit were evident from an early age. She... [More]
Jessica Cae Pritchett ~ 08-30-1981 to 06-26-2025

Linn County News Published July 2, 2025 Jessica Cae Pritchett age 43 of Parker, Kan., died Thursday, June 26, 2025, at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sunday, July 6, 2025, at Eddy Birchard Funeral Home in Osawatomie, Kan. ... [More]
More Obituaries
- 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
- Windfred Allen DeMott ~ 09-15-1940 to 06-07-2025
- Maxine Breuel ~ 11-20-1926 to 06-07-2025
- Richard Paul Henderson ~ 07-26-1950 to 06-01-2025
NEWS
special: SCOTUS agrees to hear Women's Sports Case

Case paves the way for states to continue to protect women and girl's athletic opportunities Topeka, Kan. July 3, 2025 - Today, the Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari in Hecox v. Little and West Va., v. BPJ. Rep.... [More]
SPECIA;: Schmidt Votes to Cancel Massive Tax Hike, Secure Border, and Lower Federal Spending

WASHINGTON, DC: Congressman Derek Schmidt (KS-02) issued the following statement regarding passage of the budget reconciliation bill by the U.S. House of Representatives, also called the “One Big Beautiful Bill”: “Last November,... [More]
NOTICE:

The Linn County News and Linn County Printing offices will be closed on Friday, July 4, in honor of the holiday.
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- NOTICE:
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- La Cygne executes pool bond defeasance
- CANCELED: Statewide Purple Alert issued for missing Yates Center woman
SPORTS
Gratton at Nationals

Pleasanton’s Ashton Gratton qualifies for the Adidas Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina after winning the 100 and 200 meter dashes in the KSHSAA 2A State tournament in Wichita on May 31. The Adidas Nationals took place from June 20-22 and Gratton did well in both the... [More]
Summer Ball Tournaments

The Parker 8-11 baseball team 1 places first in their league tournament at La Cygne on June 28. See more photos on page B1 of this week's edition.
More Sports
- Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team places seventh at State, Wallace earns State championship
- Joey Ewalt impacting youth wrestling here and abroad
- Prairie View trapshooting competes at State
- 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
- Prairie View track earns six medals at State
- Pleasanton’s Gratton wins two golds, sets meet record
OBITUARIES POLICY
• May be mailed, e-mailed, faxed or hand delivered.
• Must be received by 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning in order to appear in that week's edition.
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• Cost: $40 for 300 words or less. Each additional word over 300, 10¢. Photograph $5.
Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

