Thomas William Johnson, age 72, of La Cygne, Kan., died Feb. 16, 2016, at his home.
Thomas was born Jan. 9, 1944, in Paola, Kan. He is the younger of two children born to Kenneth Edward and Earlena (Cox) Johnson. His family moved to California after he was born and Thomas went to grade school in California before the family returned to the La Cygne area where he lived with his grandparents Jess and Sadie Cox.
Thomas graduated from La Cygne Rural High School in 1962.
The following year, Thomas married Joyce Elaine Arnold on July 7, 1963, in La Cygne, Kan. Together they had four children: Bryan Lee, Theresa Lynn, Daren Edward and Brent Arnold. Thomas and Joyce have lived in the La Cygne area ever since.
After high school, Thomas worked for Pitman Manufacturing in Grandview, Mo., which later became RO Products in Olathe, Kan. In 1972, Thomas started working for KCP&L as a scrubber operator in the AQC at the La Cygne generating station, where he could be close to home. In 2004, he retired after nearly 33 years with the company.
As a boy growing up, Thomas enjoyed fishing and hunting. He continued to enjoy these hobbies his entire life, fishing often with his wife Joyce and hunting with his children and grandchildren. He especially looked forward to deer season every year. Thomas enjoyed other shooting pastimes as well, competing in local trap-shooting competitions, and cowboy action shooting in the Linn County area. He was a member of the original La Cygne Christian Church as well as the Masonic Lodge #61 of La Cygne. Thomas was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Thomas is preceded in death by his parents; his son Bryan; his great-grandson Hayden White; and his sister Geraldine.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 53 years, Joyce; two sons Daren Johnson, Brent Johnson and wife, Niejsa, of La Cygne; daughter Theresa Munson and husband, Martin, of rural Cadmus, Kan.; his four grandchildren: Cole Munson, Randi White and husband, Erik, Courtney Fleming and Zackary Fleming; his four great-grandchildren: Taylor, Kayleigh, Jocelynn and Grayson.
Private family services. Burial in the Oaklawn Cemetery, La Cygne. Memorials are to the Hayden White Memorial Scholarship Fund and may be sent in c/o Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home, P.O. Box 430, Osawatomie, KS 66064.
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
SPECIAL: Benefits question an issue for county employees

By BARBARA PROFFITT Linn County News linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com A poll sent to Linn County employees mid-week asking which benefit they would prefer to lose has created a spark of animosity among those who received it. One person... [More]
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]
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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
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