Richard Neal Smith, 63, went home to be with the Lord Aug. 30, 2015, at his home surrounded by his loving family.
Richard was born Feb. 25, 1952, to Roy Jr., and Marianna Sutterby Smith in Fort Scott, Kan. He graduated from Blue Mound High School in 1970 and then furthered his education with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Kansas University.
Richard met the love of his life on a double date in high school and married Susan (Rogers) Jan. 13, 1973. Richard and Susan were blessed with three children, their spouses and five grandchildren, Samuel Smith, his wife, Jennifer, and their son, Cooper, of Shawnee, Kan.; Ted Smith, his wife, Allison, and their children, Avery and Natalie, of Belton, Texas; and Lattica Smith Foster, her husband, Daniel, and their children, Tanner and Hayden, of the Netherlands. Richard is also survived by his mother-in-law, Eleanor Rogers, of Mapleton, Kan.; two brothers, Phillip of Paola, Kan., and Stan and his wife, Frankie, of La Harpe, Kan.; and his sister, Jennifer Smith Hughes, and her husband, Mike, of Blue Mound, Kan.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents.
He worked for Spectra Energy and its predecessors for 40 years. Richard became a Master Mason in 1974, a member of The Scottish Rite in Fort Scott, Kan., and a member of Abdallah Shrine in Overland Park, Kan. He was also a Past Patron of Union #15 Order of the Eastern Star in Ottawa, Kan., and a Past Patron and active member in Tomball Chapter #838 Order of the Eastern Star and Tomball Lodge #1096. He was also a longtime member of Cypresswood Free Methodist Church of Spring, Texas.
He enjoyed wood working, computers, habitat projects and fun times with his family and colleagues.
Richard and Susan moved to Belton, Texas, in 2014 to be closer to family, his pride and joy!
Richard fought a brave battle with cancer. His love of life, encouraging and positive attitude and heartwarming smiles will always be with us.
A funeral service to celebrate his life will be held Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, at 10 a.m. at Klein Funeral Home in Tomball, Texas, with The Order of the Eastern Star and Masonic Lodge services. Kevin Niemann will officiate. The family will receive friends and family from 9-10 a.m. prior to the service. Burial services will be in Mapleton, Kan., at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to https://gifts.mdanderson.org for Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma (EHE) cancer research or https://rebuildhouston.org.
OBITUARIES
Norma Jeanne (Riley) Long ~ 08-21-1938 to 10-13-2025

Linn County News Published October 22, 2025 Norma Jeanne (Riley) Long, age 87, of La Cygne, Kan., passed away Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, at Vintage Park in Osawatomie, Kan., surrounded by family. Norma was born on Aug. 21, 1938, in Liberal, Kan., to Frederick and... [More]
Geneva Darlene Jennings ~ 11-15-1939 to 10-12-2025

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]
Mary Margaret Wilson ~ 01-08-1930 to 10-13-2025

Linn County News Published October 15, 2025 Mary Margaret Wilson of Mound City, Kan., age 95, was called home to be with the Lord Oct. 13, 2025. She resided at the Anew Healthcare facility in Pleasanton, Kan. She was born in La Cygne, Kan., to Edwin Josheph Riley and Eva... [More]
More Obituaries
- Letha Spillman ~ 06-19-1929 to 10-02-2025
- Mary Alice Fagg ~ 07-30-1933 to 09-25-2025
- John T. Miles ~ 01-29-1960 to 05-01-2025
- Paul David Hamilton ~ 11-07-1950 to 09-23-2025
- Lora Lynn West ~ 10-22-1959 to 09-24-2025
- Lois Ann Simons ~ 11-12-1937 to 09-27-2025
- Betty Joan Haupt ~ 10-03-1931 to 09-29-2025
- Carolyn Lee Wilson Dunlop ~ 12-15-1944 to 09-27-2025
NEWS
Souza resigns county clerk post

Linn County’s county clerk is resigning. At the weekly Linn County Commission meeting Tuesday morning, delayed a day because of Monday’s governmental Columbus Day holiday, Danielle Souza spoke during the public comment agenda section of her intention to resign the... [More]
Farmers State Bank under new ownership

Time moves on and things change – and the banking world is not exempt from those changes. When Farmers State Bank owner Dale Sprague passed away in August of 2024, his wife Janice and family made those changes when they sold the three banks this fall to Citizen Bank owner’s... [More]
Linn Valley council updated on water, lagoon projects

Linn Valley city council held its first meeting of the month on Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Lewis Donelson began the meeting by asking city employees present at the meeting to stand up front and introduce themselves and state their job title. The mayor continued by... [More]
More News
- Suit filed in Sunshine Meadows building permit case
- Pleasanton demos asphalt zipper for street repair
- La Cygne awards lift station bid
- Appraiser’s office announces completion of review
- SPECIAL: KBI conducts statewide marijuana enforcement operation
- Pleasanton council vetoed on fire volunteer appointments
- Kansas Policy Institute talks property taxes with legislature
- Pleasanton city candidate forum Oct. 6
SPORTS
Schneider makes State for Hawks in girls’ golf

Celeste Schneider made the 3-1A State golf tournament again this year for the Lady Hawks and will be looking to earn another State medal. To see the full article, check out this week's edition of the Linn County News or check out the online version here.
Wade and Britz advance to State for the Buffalos

The Prairie View girls’ golf team is doing well. The girls won the Pioneer League championship at Deer Trace on Oct. 7 and then followed that up by placing fourth at 3-1A Sub-State tournament at Crestwood in Pittsburg on Oct. 13. The Lady Buffs won the league tournament... [More]
Blu-Jays convert takeaways into Homecoming win

Pleasanton converted two second-quarter fumble recoveries and a third-quarter interception into passing touchdowns to break a three-game losing skid and claim a 41-6 Homecoming win over Southeast-Cherokee Friday at Blu-Jay Nation Stadium. The victory moves the ‘Jays’... [More]
More Sports
- Lady Jays host league triangular and competes at Uniontown
- Jayhawk volleyball has a busy successful week
- Jayhawk football wins thriller over Pleasanton on Homecoming
- Prairie View football dominates Burlington on Homecoming
- Pleasanton volleyball travels to Arma and Prairie View
- Jayhawk volleyball goes 4-0 on the week
- Pleasanton volleyball competes at Yates Center and Humboldt
- Prairie View football picks up a big win against Wellsville
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com
