Linn County News
Published May 17, 2017
Shirley Marie Bruner Ball of Garnett, Kan., was born Aug. 9, 1941, on the family farm near Xenia, Kan., and passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 10, 2017, at the age of 75. She was the seventh of 10 children born to Walter Eberlee Bruner and Agnes Mackie Bruner.
Her life was shaped by a large farming family and surrounding neighbors in Mud Hollow. She attended grade school through eighth grade at Mapleton and went on to graduate from Blue Mound High School in 1959. She loved her big family and growing up with eight siblings helped develop her love of competition. As a young girl, Shirley enjoyed reading, basketball, softball and swimming. She learned to work hard on the farm as a child and was dedicated to her work as an adult. After high school, she worked for two years in Fort Scott at Western Insurance.
She was united in marriage to Carrol Ball in 1962. During this time in her life she also worked hard at building a business with Carrol, raising sheep, which she loved so much, and raising three children. This marriage ended in divorce in 1969.
She went to work at the Parker Sewing Factory and later at the Sherwood Inn and Restaurant in Garnett, where she loved her co-workers and customers. She was a huge Perry Mason and Elvis fan, and loved listening to the radio and playing cards and Yahtzee! In retirement, Shirley enjoyed traveling and fishing.
Shirley leaves behind her son, Jonnie Lee Ball of Kansas City, Kan.; her son, Lonnie Carrol Ball and wife Melanie of Olathe, Kan.; daughter Juanita Joann Peine and husband Bob of Parker, Kan.; and companion Clifford Wells of Garnett. She is also survived by her brother, Willard Bruner and wife Darla of Fort Scott, Kan.; her sisters, Venita Miller of Kincaid, Kan., and Marilyn Bruner of Fort Scott; sister in-law Freda Bruner of Mound City, Kan.; many nieces and nephews; and her grandsons, Lee, Damon and Donovan Ball, and Trint, Justin and Chaylin Peine.
She was preceded in death by her parents; infant sister Mary; sisters Lorraine Wilcox and husband W.H. Wilcox, Leora Ross and husband Keith Ross, and Pauline Seitz; brothers Virgil Bruner and Joseph Bruner; nephews Raymond Badders and Virgil Miller; and niece Vicki Bruner.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett, with burial following in the Sunny Slope Cemetery in Blue Mound, Kan.
Memorial contributions may be left to Prairie Paws Rescue in care of Feuerborn Family Funeral Home. You may send your condolences to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.
OBITUARIES
Ruth Ann Antrim ~ 05-21-1951 to 07-07-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Ruth Ann Antrim, formerly Hueston, passed away July 7, 2025, after bravely battling cancer for many years. Ruth Ann was 74 years old. She lived and worked in the Mound City and Fort Scott, Kan., areas her... [More]
Helen Maxine Wright ~ 05-28-1939 to 06-19-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Helen Maxine Wright, age 86, formerly of Blue Mound, Kan., passed away at her home in Abbyville, Kan., on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Funeral service was held at 11 a.m., Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Community... [More]
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]
More Obituaries
- Kandi Kay Cruse ~ 03-29-1958 to 06-27-2025
- Jessica Cae Pritchett ~ 08-30-1981 to 06-26-2025
- 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
NEWS
Commissioners discuss various budgets

SEKMHC in mix At the end of a meeting attended by two of the three commissioners, a discussion was held regarding several of the proposed budgets for next year. Commissioners Alison Hamilton and Jim Johnson first discussed the proposed budget for Southeast Kansas Mental Health.... [More]
City learns of fire gear condition

Pleasanton Fire Department ISO inspection July 16 Following the appointment of new Fire Chief Jimmy Watts as Pleasanton Fire Chief, the Pleasanton Council heard of the condition of bunker gear Monday night at their bi-weekly meeting. Watts reported the truck ran with the... [More]
La Cygne leaders discuss food truck follow-up

Police chief to draft updated clarifying ordinance La Cygne leaders anticipate considering a draft ordinance soon on transient food trucks following discussion at last Wednesday’s regular council meeting precipitated by a local business owner’s complaint last month.... [More]
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SPORTS
Nobodys wins Blue Mound co-ed softball tournament

The team called Nobodys wins the Blue Mound 4th of July co-ed softball tournament on July 5. This year the tournament consisted of eight teams. The Nobodys is Keith Morrell’s team and has been a part of the softball tournament since it started three years ago.
Pleasanton 12-14 baseball wins championship

The Pleasanton 12-14 baseball team wins their league tournament on June 30 to July 1. Pleasanton hosted the tournament and won in the championship against La Cygne 11-7.
More Sports
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- 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
OBITUARIES POLICY
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

