The death of Willa Dean Kerns Creager, age 77, of Pleasanton, Kan., means the passing of a wonderful Irish mother. Willa was born at La Cygne, Kan., on Aug. 21, 1937, the younger of two daughters born to Jess and Bessie McGinnis Kerns. She graduated from La Cygne Rural High School in the Class of 1956.
She was united in marriage to William H. Hampson on Oct. 20, 1956. They were blessed with four beautiful daughters. Willa and Bill raised their four daughters on a farm west of Paola, Kan. She then worked in the health care industry.
Real heroes are people who do ordinary things extraordinarily well. Willa loved taking care of her family on the farm. She kept an immaculate and well decorated home. Her family was fed delicious and nutritious meals from gardens, orchards and their own beef, chickens and dairy cows. She raised her children in the church, playing the organ and singing with her beautiful angelic voice. With only one arm, the other weakened by polio as a child, she accomplished being a farmer’s wife, mother of four children and so much more. She was known for her culinary skills, fruit cobblers, homemade bread and her beautiful smile. After raising her children, she became an accomplished clogger, line dancer and oil painter.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her premature son RonaldLee Hampson in 1957; her grandson Jeremy Sherman Moody in 2004; and brother in law Gene Rockwell.
She is survived by four daughters: Nancy Player and husband Jim, Marsha Windisch, Lanette Silvey and husband Dale, Billie Jo Knowles and husband Danny; one sister Esther Rockwell; 20 grandchildren, Lisa Lenzen, Emily Brown, Joy Davila, Kyle Windisch, Kristina Sulivan, Greg Windisch, Joseph Windisch, Shawn Windisch, Wesley Windisch, Jessica Diskson, Allyssa Knowles, Meagan Knowles, Dylan Knowles, William Knowles, Laura Knowles, Luke Knowles, Cierra Knowles, Chloe Knowles and Matthew Knowles; 16 great-grandchildren; and cousins John McGinnis, Shirley Gomerdinger, Dorothy Presson, Don, Loren and Dick Stewart and Barbara Bensen, Rosetta Beard, Gary and Marvin Creager and Glenda Borgelt.
Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, July 11, 2015, at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, La Cygne Chapel. Burial will be in the Oak Lawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until service time at the Chapel. Contributions are suggested to Mercy Hospice. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com. Arrangements: Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, La Cygne Chapel.
OBITUARIES
Jean Driskell ~ 03-22-1943 to 07-18-2025

Linn County News Published July 23, 2025 Jean Driskell, age 82, formerly of La Cygne, Kan., passed away Friday, July 18, 2025. Memorial service will be held 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Schneider Funeral Home, La Cygne Chapel. Visitation... [More]
Burton Clyde Brownback ~ 05-21-1953 to 07-13-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Burton Clyde Brownback, age 72, Tri-Ko resident in Osawatomie, Kan., passed away Sunday, July 13, 2025. He was born on May 21, 1953, in Kansas City, Mo., the son of Clyde and Shirley Drake Brownback. He graduated from Prairie View... [More]
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]
More Obituaries
- Helen Maxine Wright ~ 05-28-1939 to 06-19-2025
- Kelly Kehl ~ 03-25-1938 to 06-28-2025
- 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
NEWS
Special: Resurfacing to begin on U.S. 69 in Linn County

A Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) resurfacing project on U.S. 69 in Linn County will begin the week of July 28. The project will resurface U.S. 69 with ultrathin bonded asphalt for just over 7 miles from Pleasanton to just north of... [More]
Pleasanton FD again at center of heated discussion

The majority of heated discussion came at the end of the Pleasanton City Council meeting Monday night during council discussion when Council people Bill Skipper and Angelina Randall squared off concerning the recent ISO inspection that occurred at the fire department. Skipper... [More]
La Cygne city to be below revenue neutral

Ad valorem revenue will decrease by almost $16,600, levy by over 7.6 mills The city of La Cygne will not only be revenue neutral but actually below neutral on its 2026 municipal budget. That was the report from Jodi Wade, city clerk, at last Wednesday’s regular... [More]
More News
- USD 362 files revenue-neutral exceedances
- Commissioners discuss airport future, request more information
- SPECIAL: Resurfacing on U.S. 59 in Anderson County to begin in August 4
- Commissioners vote to exceed revenue neutral
- Mulberry Limestone CUP approved by P & Z
- SPECIAL: Benefits question an issue for county employees
- Commissioners discuss various budgets
- City learns of fire gear condition
SPORTS
Pleasanton trapshooting team shows grit at National Championship

Eight members of the Pleasanton Trapshooting Team traveled to Mason, Mich., last week to compete in the USA Clay Target League National Championship. Five members participated in the team event, and all eight competed individually. The team was among 264 qualified teams competing... [More]
Blue Mound softball earns second place at Crest

The Blue Mound girls’ coach pitch team 1 places second at the TRL girls’ coach pitch tournament at Colony. The tournament took place from July 7 to July 9.
More Sports
- Nobodys wins Blue Mound co-ed softball tournament
- Pleasanton 12-14 baseball wins championship
- Gratton at Nationals
- 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
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Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

