Linn County News
Published July 15, 2020
Richard “Dick” Read was born on March 28, 1929, in Hatcher Hospital in Wellington, Kan., and died on July 3, 2020, at Foxwood Springs, Belton, Mo. His parents were Richard Calvin Read and Beulah Mae (Wilson) Read. He graduated from Wellington Jr.-Sr. High School in May of 1947. On June 4, 1947, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force. Later that year he became a member of the U.S. Air Force and served until his retirement at the rank of chief master sergeant on Sept. 1, 1969. During that time, he saw service in Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Japan and throughout the U.S. He was awarded the AF Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, AF Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters and 12 other medals and ribbons.
After retirement he spent several years pursuing a variety of interests: vice president and factory manager of Hi Line Plastics in Olathe, real estate sales in Kansas and Missouri, vice president and loan officer at First State Bank, Insurance Office Manager at First State Bank, locksmith in Pleasanton, and Linn County Clerk for four years. He spent 22 years as a volunteer reserve deputy sheriff in Linn County doing prisoner transport, fairground security, county patrol and various other duties. He also served for 21 years as municipal court judge for Pleasanton, Linn Valley, Prescott and Mound City.
Richard was a member of the VFW and served at the post, district, state, and national level. He was a member of Order of DeMolay, Past Patron of Eastern Star, Blue Lodge Masons (50 plus years) and Scottish Rite Masons (50 plus years), and was an advisor to the Rainbow Girls in Machias, Maine, for a time. For many years he was active in the Lions Club and National Rifle Association. He was a charter member of the Air Force Sergeants Association and a member of the pistol team in North Bend, Ore., and Clark Air Base, Philippines. He loved camping, working in his shop and telling stories about all his life’s adventures.
He married Mary LaWanda Johnson on Sept. 16, 1953, and is survived by her (Foxwood Springs, Belton) along with daughter Mary Rhodes of Grandview, Mo.; and son-in-law Jim Rhodes and grandson Joshua Rhodes and family of Lee’s Summit, Mo. He was preceded in death by granddaughter Jenna Rhodes of Little Rock, Ark.
Family requests that in lieu of flowers or cards that donations be made to the Jenna Rhodes Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of Grandview Education Foundation. Donations can be mailed to Grandview Education Foundation, Box 546, Grandview, Mo. 64030.
OBITUARIES
Bonnie Faye Bishop ~ 03-25-1949 to 04-22-2025

Linn County News Published April 30, 2025 Bonnie Faye Bishop, age 76, Olathe, Kan., passed away Tuesday, April 22, 2025. She was born on March 25, 1949, in Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of William and Imogene Krueger Carter. After graduating from high... [More]
Lois A. Murray ~ 11-03-1931 to 04-20-2025

Linn County News Published April 30, 2025 Lois A. Murray, age 93, formerly of Pleasanton, Kan., passed away on Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Overland Park, Kan. Lois was born the daughter of Arlie and Winifred Stanhope Poindexter on Nov. 3, 1931, near Drexel, Mo.... [More]
Dr. Howard F. Wilson ~ 02-05-1938 to 04-20-2025

Linn County News Published April 23, 2025 Dr. Howard F. Wilson, age 87, of Garnett, Kan., passed away on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at St. Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park, Kan. Howard Frank Wilson was born on Feb. 5, 1938, in Garden City, Mo. He was the... [More]
More Obituaries
- Anna Louise Stites ~ 09-27-1946 to 04-13-2025
- Sandra Kay “Sandy” Crooks ~ 01-08-1949 to 04-13-2025
- Richard Lee Keaton ~ 01-29-1935 to 04-05-2025
- Linda Ann Pruitt ~ 05-08-1953 to 04-07-2025
- Ira “Sonny” Ray Caruthers, Jr. ~ 05-23-1955 to 04-02-2025
- Michelle Lynn Young ~ 05-20-1967 to 04-04-2025
- Phyllis Sybil Colbert ~ 11-23-1935 to 03-28-2025
- Joseph Francis “Mr. Joe” Cunningham ~ 03-17-1967 to 03-31-2025
NEWS
SPECIAL: Legislative Update

April 18, 2025 Kansas Land and Military Installation Protection Act, SB 9, prohibits foreign adversaries from purchasing property within 100 miles of a military installation and any foreign adversary ownership of non-residential real property purchased prior to July 1, 2025,... [More]
16 criminal cases from Tanglewood Lake incident dismissed

Late Wednesday afternoon, April 16, orders were filed dismissing all 16 current cases on file in Linn County District Court concerning the Tanglewood Lake gate incident, 14 of which were filed against separate individuals that stemmed from the incident in May 2023. According... [More]
Tanglewood seeks clarification, aid from county

During the April 21 meeting, Linn County Commissioner Jason Hightower reported to his fellow board members that he had met with the Tanglewood Lake board president and a resident the previous week and noted that they wanted a resolution or motion that clarified if the roads are... [More]
More News
- Commission workshop hears of justification for SEKMHC CEO $600,000 salary
- La Cygne police get automatic plate readers
- Notice
- Public comment results in allegations of unethical behavior
- Parker reinstates local policing
- Two charged following vehicular incident in Parker
- Pleasanton approves zoning request
- La Cygne leaders talk future street improvements
SPORTS
Jayhawk track wins the Pleasanton Invitational

The Jayhawk Linn track team traveled to Pleasanton on April 15 for the Pleasanton Invitational. The Hawks did very well as both the boys’ and girls’ teams won the meet. The girls won with a score of 188 points while the boys won with a score of 127 points. There were... [More]
Pleasanton track places in top three at home invitational

The Pleasanton track team hosted their home invitational on April 15. The Jays did well as both the boys’ and girls’ teams placed in the top three out of nine teams. The boys were second with 92 points while the girls were third with 107.5 points. “It was... [More]
More Sports
- Jayhawk baseball earns first victories of the season
- Pleasanton boys’ and girls’ track teams win Oswego Invitational
- Prairie View softball falls in league contest to Iola
- Prairie View softball drops close games against Santa Fe Trail
- Pleasanton baseball falls to Southeast Cherokee and Marmaton Valley
- Jayhawk softball splits against Central Heights
- Prairie View softball starts season 3-1
- Pleasanton baseball opens season 2-2 against Oswego and Crest
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.
• Obituaries submitted by funeral homes will be billed to the funeral home.
• Full obituaries submitted by individuals are required to be paid in advance.
• 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

