Mid America Live

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Update: Rich Hill 4th of July schedule

Rich Hill's 4th of July

July 2nd-5th 2025

Theme: Independence Day the Rich Hill Way!

Wednesday-July 2nd

6 p.m. The Children’s Promenade

registration at the bandstand

6:30 p.m. The Children's Promenade

Sponsored by BL & Sons Disposal LLC and 49 Floral

6:30 p.m. Baby Contest

registration at the bandstand

0-18 months/clothing allowed

Director-Tisha Mackey

7 p.m. Baby Contest

Sponsored by Sheriff Chad and Courtney Anderson

8 p.m. Supreme Squeeze

Look what's happening July 5th

JULY 5th 1926 that is... it sounds like they had a knee slappin' good time planned in Amoret!

Courtesy Bates County Historical Society and Museum

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Shirley Obermeier went to be with her Lord and Savior, June 3, 2025. She was born June 28, 1942, in Paola to Emery Chester and Ruby Irene Smith Flesher. She graduated from Louisburg High School in 1960. She was married to Roger "Carl" Obermeier on June 12, 1960. To this union they had a son, Roger Jr and a daughter, Melanie. They lived for a short time in Omaha, Nebraska, Kansas City and Spring Hill, Kansas, before building a home in Hillsdale, Kansas to raise their two children. She was a homemaker until her children were of school age and then worked in retail, before retiring in 1999. She was a member of the former Spring Ridge Ladies Aide. She was a Christian, having found the Lord and was baptised in 1972. She was a member of the Pearl Street Baptist Church, where she worked in the nursery and taught preschool Sunday school. She was proud of and loved her family. Her biggest joy in life was spending time with them and attending all school and sports activities. In 2004, they built a new home and moved to Linn Valley, Kansas. She became a member of the Linn Valley Community Church. Due to failing health she moved to Paola in 2024 to be close to her daughter. She is preceded in death by her husband, Carl in 2019 and her son Roger Jr. in 2023, her parents and her sister, Margaret and infant sister, Mary Irene. She is survived by her daughter, Melanie Smith (Kevin) of Paola. daughter-in-law, Brenda Obermeier of Parker. Grandchildren, Shane Obermeier (Jacquie), Shawna Conner (Zane) of La Cygne, Kansas, Shea Obermeier (Krystal) of Russell, Kansas, Eric Smith and Austin Smith of Olathe, and her seven, great grandchildren, Brandon, Ashton, Keira, Brylynn, Cainen, Lily and Dylan, sister in laws, Joyce Obermeier of Lees Summit, Missouri and Carole Obermeier of Hot Springs, Arkansas and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral Service will be held at 11 am, Saturday, June 7 at the Schneider Funeral Home, La Cygne Chapel. Visitation will be from 10 am until service time. Burial will follow in the Oak Lawn Cemetery. Contributions are suggested to the Linn Valley Community Church. Online condolences may be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com

Obituary - Richard Henderson

Richard Henderson, age 74, Blue Mound, Kansas died as the result of an accident June 1, 2025.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Schneider Funeral Home, Mound City Chapel.

Obituary - Dixie Kathleen Bradley Wilkerson

Dixie Kathleen Bradley Wilkerson, age 85, Independence, Missouri, formerly of Pleasanton, Kansas passed away Friday, May 30, 2025. She was born on October 15, 1939 in Pleasanton, Kansas the daughter of Frank and Sadie Cantwell Bradley. She graduated from Pleasanton High School. Dixie was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Ken Wilkerson on December 22, 1957. The couple lived most of their married life in the metro Kansas City area. Dixie worked for the Hickman Mills School District from 1965 until retirement in 1995. The couple enjoyed traveling, playing Pitch and Hand and Foot. Dixie was a member of the Christ United Methodist Church, Independence, Missouri. In her younger years she was a member of Rainbow and Powder Puff. She was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Keith Wilkerson, and a brother, Dee Bradley. Dixie is survived by her husband Ken Wilkerson, a daughter, Diane McCullough and husband Ron, three grandsons, Austin Walsh and wife Leslie, Kyle Wilkerson and wife Katie, and Kurt Wilkerson, and five great grandchildren, Zoey Walsh, daughter of Austin and Leslie, Karly, Knox, and Kruz Wilkerson, children of Kyle and Katie, and Kemper Wilkerson, son of Kurt.

Funeral service will be held 12:30 pm Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at the Schneider Funeral Home, Pleasanton Chapel. Visitation will be held from 11:30 am to service time. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Dementia Society of America. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.

Obituary - Burl Joseph Walker

Burl Joseph Walker, Sr, 78, of Adrian, MO, passed away on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at his home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 3:00 PM at Victory Assembly of God in Adrian, MO, with a visitation beginning at 2:00 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to Adrian Senior Citizens, Inc.

Bob Dylan wrote 'How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man.' I'm not sure what metric should be used but Burl Joseph Walker, Sr. was a man among men. Born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and raised in Spencer, WV, he traveled all over America and found Joy in the journey. While Visiting Grandma Albert in Kalispell, Montana, he found a wife. Joining Karen Lee Richardson in Holy Matrimony began a journey of 55 years.

In the 1970s, he found a job at Dupont in Deepwater, NJ, as a rigger and started a family. In the 1980s, they moved to Ohio near his parents. He went back to Dupont in Parkersburg and continued to provide and thrive. In the early 1990s, we could count on him to be there at 6 am, after breakfast, reading the Bible and explaining what it meant and how to apply it to our lives. He loved it every time we got to the Book of Hebrews. Never settling for what is, but always looking forward to what is next. He became a trainer, and while sitting around the kitchen table, we learned about locking out equipment, tagging, and verifying it was truly off before working on machines. As we were learning Algebra, he was learning with us and passed us to become an Industrial Mechanic using trigonometry on the job every day at work.

When cancer came knocking, he was ready to go home, but God had a different plan. Miraculously, the Lord healed him completely at the Altar on a Sunday morning. Stage 4 Cancer became a springboard for early retirement and a decade of service in MAPS, building churches, and improving camps and Teen Challenge Centers as RV Volunteers before finally settling down and buying a home in Butler, MO, then downsizing into an apartment in Adrian to be near his church. Filling his 'Retirement' with renovations, remodels, and driving a school bus. Mr. 'Smiles' was his nickname with the children at Butler R-V because he always had a huge smile on his face.
Each season brought its challenges, including the final dance. Each season of joy was met with an understanding that the God that had saved him, spoke to him through His Word, audibly, guided his life with dreams and given him an extra 20 years, was preparing a place for him to enter eternity.

Burl is preceded in death by his parents, Burl Daniel Walker and Yvonne Maire (Albert) Walker. He is survived by his wife, Karen Walker; sons, Burl (Emma) Walker Jr. and Daniel (Tonia) Walker; honorary daughter, Alberta (Pastor Monday) Yeboah-Ohwofasa; grandchildren: Oliver Rex, Jedidiah Wain, Richard Leonard, Brian Joseph, and Dean Elliot; sister, Patricia Hamilton; ; and niece, Amy Jo Keel.

From Jim Wheatley, Bates County Presiding Commissioner

I want to give everyone an update on the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), better known as ARPA funds. I received "Official" notice that Bates County DOES NOT have to return any monies to the U.S. Treasury. Everything was accepted and the account is verified.

I know I told everyone that everything had been corrected several weeks ago, but I had not received "Official" notification of removal of the Repayment Notification until last week. I was told that the "Official" notification would be sent out after the account was verified.

I do, however, have to continue to update any requirements that come up. I now have a person at Treasury to contact for support.

On a totally different issue, the County Commissioners want to have at least two Public meetings about the proposed solar projects in Bates County. We want the companies that are wanting to build in Bates County to meet with the residents and citizens of Bates County to answer any questions or concerns that you, the public, have about the projects. We may not be able to get both companies together at the same time, so there may be additional meetings.

If you have questions or concerns about any issue, come talk with the Commissioners on any Monday or Wednesday. Please, call and set up a time to meet with us.

Jim Wheatley