Gary William Linaweaver November 08, 1947 – January 09, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers View/Sign Guest Book| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Gary William Linaweaver, 71, Leavenworth, Kansas, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, in Lansing, Kansas. He was the oldest child of four, born to Carl William and Evalyn Mary (Fink) Linaweaver on November 8, 1947, in Leavenworth, Kansas. Gary is survived by his only daughter, Michelle “Shelly” Bledsoe and her longtime companion Frank Owens, Cummings, KS; her four children, Cody Hunt, Leavenworth, KS, Derrick Hunt, Ft.
Carson, CO, Dylan Hunt, Ft. Campbell, KY, Morgan Saunders, Salisbury, MO; three great grandsons, Landon and Remington Hunt, Leavenworth, KS, Sawyer Hunt, Topeka, KS; two sisters, Sandy (Tom) Fitzmaurice, Atchison, KS, Carleen (Martin) Gering, Potter, KS; brother, Dennis (Gayla) Linaweaver, Lansing, KS, many nieces and nephews and several cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents, his long time companion of 29 years, Barbara (Hill) Zink and best friend, Jimmy Jackson.
He attended grade school in a one room school house he called the “Nine Mile School” in rural Leavenworth County, and later graduated from Lansing High School in 1965, proudly as the youngest in his class. He dreamed one day of being an Air Force pilot but an onsite masonry construction accident changed his career plans. He became store manager of the Western Auto hardware store in Hiawatha, Kansas, where he met Marie Antoinette Lara (“Toni”) who later became his wife.
Soon after the young couple and their daughter moved to Hartington, Nebraska, he owned and operated a Sears Catalog and Retail Sore for many years. After his divorce he moved back to Lansing and was a successful insurance agent for American National and later retired from Farmer Insurance Group. Gary met Barabara Zink and the two enjoyed watching NASCAR races, traveling and dancing at the Eagles Lodge on Saturday nights.
Though they were never married, they were together for 29 years until she preceded him in death in 2017. He was a devoted father and looked forward to visits from his grandchildren and family. He loved being on the family farm whether he was doing chores to raise various animals (cattle, sheep, rabbits) or mowing hay to help other farming friends or neighbors.
He was a member of St. Francis de Sales Church in Lansing and a member of the Leavenworth Eagles Lodge. Those who knew Gary also saw he was a quiet man of few words, but could often be found catching up with other local businessmen at the soda fountain in the Corner Pharmacy in downtown Leavenworth at lunchtime. He seldom raised his voice, but was a firm, fair and spiritual man.
He loved his Kansas City Chiefs. Per his wishes his body has been donated to the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology. His thought was if he could help someone, somewhere, somehow; he wanted to do so.
He often chuckled and said “as a lifelong K-State Wildcat fan, I’ll have to go out as a crummy Jayhawk”. There will be no services planned. Care has been entrusted to the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home in Atchison.
The family wishes to express their sincere thanks to the employees and staff at Lansing Care and Rehabilitation Center, the nurses of Phoenix Hospice, Father William McEvoy and Dr. Angela Garner, Tony Tucker, P.A. Also thanks for all the calls, texts and prayers from friends and family these past few months. We will miss you so daddy.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
