Sidney A. McKnight Jr.
12-20-1940 to 12-16-2019
Linn County News
Published Feb. 19, 2020
Linn County lost a true lover and preserver of the prairies with the passing of Sid McKnight Jr. on Dec. 16, 2019. Nature and the out-of-doors were just two of his many passions. For his efforts, he received the Wildlife Habitat Conservation Award in 2006. Sid had a joy for life and pursued many interests with keen focus and contagious energy.
His chosen profession was dentistry, becoming the first periodontist in Johnson County. His love for dentistry was exceeded only by the devoted care he gave his patients.
In his leisure time Sid enjoyed training his hunting dogs and taking them afield. In the summer his interests turned to fishing the waters of Lake Michigan. Sid’s love of music, especially jazz, consumed his high school and college years. He played drums in bands and ensembles. That love never died: In his early seventies he attended an adult jazz camp in Vermont just to see if he still had his “chops.” A loyal Jayhawk, he attended all the home games until mobility issues ensued. Then he took pleasure in sending friends and family to enjoy his seats in Allen Fieldhouse.
His retirement job came out of his appreciation of nature. He was invited to serve on the board of the Kansas Nature Conservancy and ultimately served as its chairman. When Sid married his high school sweetheart, Carole, in 1962, they could not have imagined creating a country home on never-plowed prairie where merely looking out the window was an adventure. As he would often say to Carole, “we are living in the Discovery Channel!” Holidays were shared there with children and grandchildren who inherited his passion for the prairie.
Sid was born in Tyler, Texas, on Dec. 20, 1940, and was just a week shy of his 79th birthday when he passed away peacefully. His Linn County friends enriched his life in so many ways. A memorial service honoring Sid’s life was held Dec. 21 in Kansas City.
OBITUARIES
Lillie Mae Jackson ~ 04-23-1928 to 10-22-2025
Linn County News Published October 29, 2025 Lillie Mae Jackson, Pleasanton, Kan., passed away on Oct. 22, 2025. Services will be held at the Pleasanton Chapel of Schneider Funeral Homes at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Visitation will be from... [More]
Monica Joy (Goebel) Mullins ~ 12-30-1965 to 10-20-2025
Linn County News Published October 29, 2025 Monica Joy Mullins, 59, of Fort Scott died Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, at the home of her father in Mound City, Kan. Monica was born on Dec. 30, 1965, in Kansas City, Kan., to Gary Richard and Eva May (Alumbaugh)... [More]
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]
More Obituaries
- Norma Jeanne (Riley) Long ~ 08-21-1938 to 10-13-2025
- Geneva Darlene Jennings ~ 11-15-1939 to 10-12-2025
- 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
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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