Linn County News
Published March 2, 2022
Ronnie Dean Mendel, age 74, of Paola, passed away on Feb. 24, 2022, at Olathe Medical Center.
Ron was born Feb. 11, 1948, in La Cygne, Kan., to Floyd (Jack) and Alta (Clearwater) Mendel. He graduated from La Cygne Rural High School in 1966.
On July 13, 1967, he married Carolyn Murphy in Vinita, Okla. Ron and Carolyn met working together at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. The couple lived in Bonner Springs, Kan., before moving to Paola, where Ron took over the American Family Insurance Agency. He retired in February 2007 after 31 years of service.
Ron served as a reserve for the Miami County Sheriff Department. He was one of the founding members of the Miami County Cancer Foundation, where he remained an active member. Ron enjoyed his family and friends, riding motorcycles, hunting, camping, and wheeling-and-dealing on vehicles.
Preceding him in death were his wife; parents; brother, Cliff; sons, Jeff and Mike; grandson, Derry Flaherty; great-grandson, Jordan Flaherty; and in-laws, Emmett and Julia Murphy.
He is survived by his children, Jim (Dee Anne) Mendel and Paula (Terry) Flaherty; partner, Paulette Bennett; sister, Joan (Delbert) Cornett; sister-in-law, Linda (Larry) Stewart; brother-in-law, Rodger (Cathy) Murphy; grandchildren, Ronnie (Dannae) Flaherty, Bryant Mendel, Katie Gatlin and Jimmy Daniels; great-grandchildren, Gavin, Serinity, Carolynn, Norma, Sarah, Bradley and Brayden; great-great grandson, Booker; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts can be made to the Miami County Cancer Foundation and sent c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary-Crematory, 305 N. Pearl St., Paola, Kan. 66071.
Graveside inurnment services will be held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at Miami Memorial Gardens, Paola.
OBITUARIES
Kelly Renee Moore ~ 08-02-1963 to 10-13-2025

Linn County News Published October 22, 2025 Kelly Renee Moore, age 62 Paola, Kan., passed away at her home on Oct. 13, 2025. She was born the daughter of Ernest DeWayne and Neva Stillwagon O’Dell on Aug. 2, 1963, in La Mesa, Calif. Kelly loved... [More]
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]
More Obituaries
- Mary Margaret Wilson ~ 01-08-1930 to 10-13-2025
- 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
NEWS
Former Zoning Administrator explains KORA requests

During the weekly meeting on Monday, Oct. 20, the Linn County Commissioners heard from former county employee Darin Wilson who served previously as the Planning and Zoning Administrator. Wilson told commissioners that the KORA (Kansas Open Records Act) requests he had made were... [More]
Pleasanton Council overrides mayor veto on firefighter appointments

The Pleasanton Council met at their regularly scheduled meeting Monday and Councilman Aaron Portmann immediately read a prepared statement concerning Ordinance 2065 that Mayor Mathew Young vetoed that tried to take appointment of firefighters from the mayor and put it on the... [More]
Snyder appointed Linn County Register of Deeds

Following the retirement of long-time Linn County Register of Deeds Kristy Schmitz, the Linn County Republican Central Committee held a convention Sunday to appoint a new Register of Deeds. Central Committee Chair Becky Johnson held the role call of committee people and 20... [More]
More News
- Blue Mound to apply for KDHE loan for sewer project
- Souza resigns county clerk post
- Farmers State Bank under new ownership
- Linn Valley council updated on water, lagoon projects
- 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
SPORTS
Prairie View football stays on top of their district with big win over Girard

The Prairie View Buffalos are in 3A District 2 and currently hold the number one seed in that district. The Buffalos 49-20 win over Girard gave them a great chance to be District champions. This week the Buffalos travel to Iola for their final district game and will seal the... [More]
Prairie View volleyball finishes season at Girard

The Prairie View volleyball team finished their regular season games at Iola this past week as they had a Pioneer League triangular against Iola and Osawatomie. They were in the 3A Regional quad at Girard on Oct. 20 and finished their season there going 1-2. To see the full... [More]
Jays lock in league runner up spot at Uniontown

Just as the week before, Pleasanton turned first-half takeaways into touchdowns and won at Uniontown last Friday night, 45-12, in a Three Rivers League and Class 1-A, District 1 matchup. The win assures the Blu-Jays of at least their third consecutive second-place finish in... [More]
More Sports
- Jayhawk football routs Southeast Cherokee
- Pleasanton volleyball goes 2-2 in final week of the regular season
- Schneider makes State for Hawks in girls’ golf
- Wade and Britz advance to State for the Buffalos
- Blu-Jays convert takeaways into Homecoming win
- Lady Jays host league triangular and competes at Uniontown
- Jayhawk volleyball has a busy successful week
- Jayhawk football wins thriller over Pleasanton on Homecoming
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com
