Obituary - Larry Dale Vogt

Larry Dale Vogt

January 17, 1945 - June 29, 2025

Funeral Service
Tuesday July 22, 2025
at 1:00 p.m.
Heuser Funeral Home
Graveside Interment
Balltown Cemetery • Horton, Missouri

Larry Dale Vogt was born January 17, 1945. Larry was a graduate of the class of 1963 at Rich Hill, MO. He was in the Army Reserves after graduation. He was a retired Accountant and Mortgage Broker. He passed away June 29, 2025 at his home in New Albany, IN. Larry was proceeded in death by his mother Nadine Seater, his sister Charlene (Vogt) Smith, and his step-brother, Bob Seater.

Car show in Butler postponed

 FOR ANYONE PLANNING to attend the car show on the Butler square this weekend, please note that plans have changed and the show will likely be held in September instead.

We will post info once it becomes available!

71 down, 94 to go

 

Five more Quilts of Valor were presented to area Veterans this morning during the monthly breakfast sponsored by Good Shepherd Hospice of Butler. Recipients were L-R: Jerry Crump, Wesley Cumpton, Chris Moree, Herman Schubert and David Williams. To date, Rocking Chair Quilts of Butler has presented 71 quilts and another 94 are in the works.

While the monthly breakfast is usually held on the third Friday at Happy Hill Church, note that the August breakfast will be held on the 22nd and if you would like to donate to the program contact Marsha at Rocking Chair Quilts by calling 660-679-2226.

Nationwide, over 416,000 Quilts of Valor have been presented since the program began in 2003; more information can be found HERE.

BCMH Announces Additional Community Meetings

Bates County Memorial Hospital (BCMH) has announced two additional community meetings following its successful series of summer town hall events in Adrian, Rich Hill, Butler, and Hume.

These meetings are part of the hospital’s continued effort to reintroduce residents to their local hospital — offering updates on services, addressing questions about healthcare access and sustainability, and opening the door for more direct communication between hospital leadership and the communities they serve.

The newly scheduled events include:

Amsterdam Area Community Talk
Tuesday, August 5 at 6:00 p.m.
Amsterdam Community Center, 8524 NW State Rt. Y, Amsterdam, Mo.
Residents of Amsterdam, Amoret, Virginia, and nearby areas are encouraged to attend for a conversation about local healthcare and hospital services.

Elected Officials Briefing
Thursday, August 21 at 6:00 p.m.
BCMH Education Center, 615 W. Nursery Street, Butler, Mo.
All city, county, and township elected officials in Bates County are invited to attend a focused briefing and open discussion on hospital operations, challenges, and future planning.

The August events build on the momentum of BCMH’s June community talks, which brought forward valuable questions about mental health care, EMS funding, physician recruitment, and hospital stability in today’s rural healthcare landscape. Leaders from across the organization were on hand to speak directly with attendees and share how the hospital is responding to these challenges and opportunities.

“These meetings have been a meaningful way for us to listen, share information, and connect with our community in a personal and transparent way,” said BCMH CEO Greg Weaver. “We’re grateful for the turnout and the honest questions we’ve received so far — and we’re looking forward to continuing those conversations this August.”

Please note: These corrected dates replace those included in an earlier announcement. BCMH appreciates the community’s attention and understanding.

For more information and ongoing updates, visit www.bcmhospital.com/news.

Obituary - Diane Bradley

 Diane Nadean (née Perry) Bradley of Columbia, Missouri, age 80, passed away on July 12, 2025, in St. Louis after a long illness. The immediate cause of death was heart failure.

Diane was born on November 8, 1944, in Nevada, Missouri to Nadean Adeline (née Smith) and James Ervel Perry and grew up in Rich Hill, Missouri. She graduated from Rich High School and Central Missouri State University with a degree in music education.

Diane had a difficult life. For decades, she suffered from nearly untreatable depression. At times, the disease was so consuming that it pushed out almost everything else. When the disease receded, she sold real estate, worked in a variety of odd jobs, and got to live the place that she loved most, the Florida Gulf Coast. She loved animals, nature, and was incredibly empathetic to the suffering of others.

Diane was very close to her parents and lived with them in Rich Hill at the end of their lives. During that time, she taught special education at Rich Hill Elementary.

She is survived by her two sons and their families: Colonel Matthew P. Bradley and his wife Lisa D. Bradley, Matt and Lisa’s children Bennet, Hayden, and Becket, Dr. D. Nathan Bradley and his wife Dr. Lyndsay B. Ball; her sister Carol and her husband Ron Johnson; and Diane’s ex-husband David D. Bradley.

Funeral Service will be held at 11 am, Saturday, July 19 at the Heuser Funeral Home.  Visitation will be from 10 am until service time.  Burial will follow at the Green Lawn Cemetery.

Butler’s Maddox Fennewald Selected for KCCBL All-Star Game

By Cody Morris, Tailgate TV

Butler native and alumni Maddox Fennewald was recently selected to play in the Kansas City Collegiate Baseball League (KCCBL) All-Star Game, highlighting a successful summer season on the diamond.

Fennewald, who currently plays for Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois, has made an impact both on the mound and in the field. He serves as a pitcher and shortstop for his college team and has spent his summer competing in the KCCBL against some of the top collegiate baseball talent in the Midwest.

During his time on the mound this summer, Fennewald pitched 23 innings and recorded an impressive 0.78 ERA, a statistic that reflects his dominance in limiting opposing teams’ scoring opportunities.

Earning a spot in the KCCBL All-Star Game is a significant achievement and a testament to Fennewald’s hard work, skill, and consistency throughout the season. The local community is proud to see a Butler product excelling at the next level and representing his hometown on the regional stage.

Fate of old Butler high school hangs in the balance

The exterior view doesn't reveal serious structural issues lurking inside the old Butler high school building leaving the city of Butler to make some costly, possibly painful decisions in the not-so-distant future

The roughly century old schoolhouse certainly holds many fond memories; currently serves some important tenants; and preserving this landmark has remained a priority since the city of Butler acquired it some 55 years ago however, due to its aging infrastructure, money will need to come from somewhere to repair it. Or worse yet, tear it down.

Discussions have been ongoing within the Butler city council for quite some time regarding exactly where to go from here and at current, major leaks in the roof are the cause of serious water damage to wooden joists and likely resulting in mold as well- compounding issues almost on a daily basis. Additional damage from leaking windows and other maintenance problems only add to the mix, according to information received as of late.

This week, yet another discussion was held that revealed some high priced solutions leaving the council to decide where to go from here as engineering estimates were quite a bit higher than anticipated- an educated guess upwards of possibly $100,000 to fix just the current issues, not including an unknown amount to other repair concerns found during renovation. Add to that, any long term solution should include replacement of windows, doors and other ancillary items to keep it dry and increase energy efficiency.

"At what point does it become a liability?" questioned Ward 4 councilman Scott Mallatt who likened it to the building on the southeast corner of the square that collapsed in 2015. Loose bricks could be a strong indicator of things to come and the first priority in any case is safety as City Administrator Corey Snead added that the engineering firm said that in their opinion, if action isn't taken, a roof collapse could be eminent within a 5 year or so time frame.

Those most in danger would be current tenants who are the Old High School Thrift Store, a quilting shop and the Adrian theater group who occasionally uses the gym for performances, as well as the annual Safety Village program. The possible displacement of these folks begged even more questions from those present. "The city would do whatever we can to help them find new locations" said Snead, in the event the building is recommended by engineers to be condemned, which is likely to happen if a resolution doesn't come fairly soon. 

He went on to explore options such as keeping the gym and taking down the rest, but costs could be staggering as a temporary wall would have to be built in the meantime. Ward 1 councilman Tim Young, in regard to keeping the gym, questioned that as Butler is slated to get a YMCA sometime in the future, would it be a good idea to sink money into an old building that couldn't compete anyway?

As the discussion ensued, councilwoman Doncella Liggins voiced  that in her opinion, it's not cost effective to keep it. Her sentiments came with sympathy, but added factors such as a cost of almost $25,000 a year just to keep the doors open (insurance, maintenance, etc.) also come into play as tenants currently don't pay rent. 

But as the math works out, whatever rent that could be received would be just a drop in the bucket towards mounting repair costs. 

Selling the old alma mater might be a solution for a buyer who 'thinks big' and could turn it into what works for them- Administrator Snead said that he has talked to a few prospects, but so far nothing has gelled and he'll press ahead in the meantime. He went on to emphasize that the key would be to find a buyer with the best of intentions to insure the "very best outcome possible for everyone".

It is likely this discussion will continue in the upcoming August 5th council meeting.

Attention 4-H'ers: Check out this new podcast

Linda Clinton is one of the hosts for the Missouri 4-H Fields of Knowledge Podcast and a dedicated educator with a deep passion for youth development and agriculture. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from Kansas State University and a Master’s in Agricultural Education from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

With 18 years of experience in education—13 of those as a high school agriculture instructor—Linda now serves as a 4-H Youth Development Specialist with University of Missouri Extension. Her work focuses on empowering young people to explore leadership, STEM, agriculture, and community service through hands-on, experience-based learning.

Linda brings her expertise and enthusiasm to the Fields of Knowledge Podcast to share inspiring stories, amplify youth voices, and highlight the many opportunities available in the ever-evolving Agriculture industry.

Find more information here https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576400452747

Obituary - Marie Ann Neece

Marie Ann Neece, 75, of Garden City, Missouri, passed away on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Funeral services will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville, Missouri, with a visitation beginning at 10:00AM. Burial to follow in the Peculiar, Missouri Cemetery. 

A complete obituary will be posted when it becomes available, courtesy of Atkinson Funeral Home.

Today's schedule for the Cass county fair

 

An easy way to keep up with Butler Chamber events

 

Important notice regarding Archie overpass

 

Bates County Commission discusses insurance coverage

July 7, 2025 The Bates County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley, Northern Commissioner John Gray and Southern Commissioner Trent Nelson present.
The Commissioners were in and out of the office most the day. They also dealt with phone calls on roads. John worked on getting the 2 citizens to sit on Board Of Equalization that is coming up on July 21st and 22nd. The last day to set an appointment for a BOE hearing is the 14th.

July 9, 2025 The Bates County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley and Southern Commissioner Trent Nelson present. Northern Commissioner John Gray was on vacation.
Charles Rush with Cook Insurance came in for his scheduled meeting. He rebuts points the other Insurance Competitor had brought up. Every insurance company will do their own risk assessment for Property and Casualty Insurance. He feels as a broker they have no business helping or ensuring how a Policy Handbook is written. He further points out that they cannot claim that as a bigger company they can provide a better rate as they all get their insurance from the same companies. It’s against the law. A quote from the same company would be the same to either broker to the penny. The only difference between the 2 companies is the service they can provide. Trent stated, “100 yards away is better than 100 miles away”. Charles replied, “We’d like to think that”. He also stated that he feels they can improve the service they do provide. He would like to increase communications with the employees and with HR. Check into the health coverages on preventative and wellness, not just focusing on price. Charles stated that there is a software program he is looking into that will help in the process of Health Insurance. He is expecting a bigger percentage rise in insurance this year over the last few and would like to get started in looking for renewals. Jim stated he wants to have all the elected officials in on health coverage this time. Jim also stated that some of the concerns over charges with Bates County Memorial need to be addressed with the CEO and Director. He referred to an email that John received on how the Hospital does not have Critical Care status therefore the cost of transportation is given to the patient and not picked up by the government. Cass Regional and Elliot Hospital have this status. Jim passed that information on to Mark Alford’s office to see if anything can be done about it. Jim stated he personally does not use the insurance coverage by the county as he has other health insurance coverage, however he still is aware of what is going on with the employees and the county. Charles ended up with how he would love to continue to work with the county and will make every effort to improve in any aspect necessary.
Work in progress
1. Policy Regarding Indigent Cremations given 8/25/2023 nothing since April.
2. Rattlesnake Hill Roads 11/06/2023 evening meeting 6/11/25 still gaining signatures. To date 10 people have signed and one resident is declaring he will not sign. All need to sign to move the drives to roads.
3. Policy Regarding Computer, E-Mail, Devices and Social Media given nothing since 2/14/2024.
4. Opioid Settlement Resolution 10/2/2024 (Judge Highley).
5. EEZ Board 3/26/2025 Proposal Fee with scope of work received $12,000.00 fixed fee 6/11/25.

Bates county tax sale information

Click images to enlarge, save or print

Cooler with storms returning this evening

One dandy ham

 

Congratulations to Isabel Branson, 1st place winner of the "Grand Champion Ham" at the Butler County Fair.

Courtesy Butler Lodge #254 AF & AM

Congratulations from the Bates County Veternary Clinic

 

The Bates County Veterinary Clinic would like to congratulate these three on getting into Veterinary School at University of Missouri: Kate Bunch, starting her third year; Austin Page, starting his second year; Sudie Callahan, starting her first year in August.

We are so happy for these three and can't wait to see where it takes them!

Obituary - Clarice Knight

Clarice Belle (Oswald) Knight, 89, passed away surrounded by her daughters on July 14, 2025, at Oakley Place in Topeka, Kansas.

She was born on February 6, 1936, in Ottawa, Kansas the daughter of Clarence Edward and Lola May (Underwood) Oswald. Clarice attended grade school at the Rural Acorn School in Franklin County, Kansas. She was very active in Acorn Rustlers 4H Club in Franklin County and was on the 4h Council. She graduated in 1954 as Valedictorian of her class from Princeton High School in Princeton, Kansas.

Following graduation, she married Loy Dean Knight at the Princeton Methodist Church on June 27, 1954. Clarice became an Air Force wife living in Amarillo, Texas; Midwest City, Oklahoma; Misawa, Japan; Topeka, Kansas; Nattenheim, Germany and Spring Lake, North Carolina. After her husband’s retirement they moved back to Princeton where they made their home until 2016, later moving to Ottawa, Kansas.

Clarice was a member of the Princeton United Methodist Church where she played the piano and organ for over 50 years. She also played in various churches and gave piano lessons throughout her life. Music and her faith were always very important to her.

Clarice was also a member of the United Women in Faith, VFW Auxiliary, and Daughter’s of the American Revolution (recently receiving her 50-year pin). Clarice held many offices and served these organizations in several capacities until the end.

During her working career she was with the Appraiser’s Office in Franklin County. She later worked 39 ½ years as an Avon Representative. During that time, she received many District Avon Awards. Her greatest job was raising her family.

Clarice enjoyed gardening, canning, sewing, camping, tending to her flowers, Bingo, feeding the birds, and attending her grandchildren’s many sporting events. She and her husband enjoyed camping with the camping club and spending time as Winter Texans. She never missed watching KU Basketball, Royals and Chiefs games.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Lola Oswald, her husband Loy Dean Knight, and a granddaughter Kristi Medlen. Clarice is survived by four daughters, Debbie Stephenson and husband Scott of Scranton, Kansas; Nancy Woolery and husband Sheldon of Princeton, Kansas; Cindy Medlen and husband Dean of Rantoul, Kansas; and Donna Mathena-Menke and husband Marvin of Topeka, Kansas.

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Brett (Jodi) Woolery, Kurtis Woolery, Christopher (Jessica) Woolery, Ryan (Lacey) Medlen, Johnna Mathena, Brittany (Ryan) Moranz and Lakyn Stephenson, and great grandchildren, Teagan and Tatum Moranz, Carter Medlen, Brooklyn and Hayden Woolery, Kovax and Radley Woolery and Xander and Easton Jackson

Her family would like to thank Kansas Rehabilitation Hospital, Oakley Place, and Midland Hospice for the kindness and care given to her this past month.

Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Princeton United Methodist Church and sent in care of Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6th Ave., Topeka, Kansas 66603.

Arrangements are pending and will be available soon.

Obituary - Betsy Newman

 Betsey Lynn Newman's wishes were to be cremated and remembered with fond memories.  There are no public services at this time.  Arrangements under the direction of the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) Butler, Missouri.  Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.  

Betsey Lynn Newman, age 67 of Amsterdam, Missouri died Monday, July 14, 2025 at her daughter's home in Butler, Missouri.  She was born February 28, 1958 to Alfred James and Pauline Ada Moore McNeal in Waverly, New York.

Betsey is survived by one daughter, Cristy Lewis of Butler, Missouri; two brothers, Alfred McNeal of Smithville, Missouri and Jerry McNeal of Lone Jack, Missouri; one sister, Cassie McNeal of Helena, Montana; and three grandchildren.  Betsey was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Pauline McNeal; and two sisters, Cheryl Holtzclaw and Sharon Shipers.

Heat, rain possible later this evening