Richard Eugene Linton

Richard Eugene Linton departed this life surrounded by his loving family on February 22, 2025 after a long and courageous battle with Cancer. Richard was born on June 4, 1950, in Beloit, Kansas, to Paul and Helen (Haskins) Linton. The second son of the couple, Richard shared a special bond with his grandparents in Scottsville, Kansas, he cherished time spent with his grandparents, aunts and uncles shaping his childhood with love and closeness-something he later carried into his own family.
The Linton family eventually settled in Haven, Kansas, where Richard was a standout athlete, excelling in multiple sports, including basketball, baseball, and track. However, his early years were also marked by profound loss. After his beloved mother, Helen Maxine, passed away, Richard graduated from Haven High School with the class of 1968; with his Aunts, Uncles, grandparents and Wayne and Mary Windsor as his support system. In 1970, Richard was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving in the Vietnam War, where he spent eight months overseas. Though it was a difficult and trying experience, it instilled in him a resilience that he carried throughout his life.
Upon returning home, Richard married the love of his life, Dara (McDaniel) Linton. He often described their relationship as "a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love," and anyone who knew them could see the deep adoration they shared. On Richard's 22nd birthday, the couple welcomed their first child, Amy Helen, a gift he always considered the best birthday present he ever received. Their family grew six years later with the birth of their son, Ryan Richard who made them both immensely proud.
Richard and Dara settled in Osborne, Kansas, where Richard quickly became a cornerstone of the community widely known for his generosity and unshakeable kindness. He worked as a loan officer at the local banks in Osborne for 30 years, earning a reputation for his extraordinary personality and dedication. In the 1990s, he acquired Stambach Monuments, a business he operated alongside his banking career and oftentimes with the help of his son, Ryan and in later years his son-in-law Shannon Ratliff, all taking great pride in memorializing loved ones.
Outside of work, Richard found joy in life's simple pleasures-scratching off lottery tickets, satisfying his sweet tooth, and sipping on unsweetened iced tea. He held many titles in his life, earning degrees from Cloud County Community College and Fort Hays State University, along with various licenses and certifications. Yet, his greatest title was Grandpa.
Between 1993 and 2024, Richard and Dara were blessed with six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, who were the absolute light of their lives. No matter the distance, Richard never missed a special moment with his grandkids. To them, and to many of their friends, he was affectionately known as "Papa" or "Grandpa", a name that came with endless love and laughter.
After retiring, Richard and Dara moved to Halstead, Kansas, to be closer to family. In 2017, he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, a battle he fought with unwavering courage and resilience, never once faltering in his role as the steady pillar of the Linton family.
For Richard, family was everything. He lived his life with love and selflessness, always giving more than he received. His legacy of love, laughter, and loyalty will continue to shine in the hearts of all who knew him. He loved his wife, his children, his grandchildren and greats. He loved his Country, his tea, his pie and his cigarettes. He never met a stranger, and he saw the good in everyone he met. There wasn't a problem he couldn't fix, a frown he couldn't turn into a smile, or a bad day he couldn't make better.
In his final days, his beloved and devoted wife, Dara, never left his side. She made his comfort and quality of life her life's mission, ensuring he was surrounded by love, warmth, and the unwavering care that defined their decades together. Their love story, built on devotion and deep affection, remained as strong in his final moments as it was on the day they first fell in love.
As the saying goes: "How lucky are we to have loved someone so much that it makes saying goodbye so hard." If love alone could have kept Richard alive, he would have lived forever.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, brother, John P. Linton, grandparents, Lyle & Josie Haskins, uncle David Haskins, cousin Eric Haskins and Grandson in-law, Brendon Beach.
He is survived by his loving wife Dara, daughter Amy (Shannon) Ratliff, son, Ryan (Jennifer) Linton, grandchildren: Michala Ann Linton, Anna Emily (Tommy) Reid, Sadie Elizabeth Beach, Braxton Rease Burns, Sloane Maxine Linton and Maxx Ryan Linton. Great-Grandchildren, Jamal & Catricia, Serenity, Micah, Isaac, Adelia, Seray & Na'Liyah, Aunts Donna Gaskill & Linda Floyd and a host of cousins, sisters-in-law & brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and many friends to mourn his passing.
A celebration of life will be held on April 19, 2025 at the St. Aloysius Parish Center in Osborne, Kansas from 10am -12pm. Burial will follow at the Scottsville Cemetery in Scottsville, KS.
Memorials in Richards honor can be made to the following: Veterans Memorial Fund, Osborne, KS c/o Osborne County Treasurer's Office PO Box 160 Osborne, KS 67473
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