Lawrence E. “Shorty” Brown, 90, of Rural Fort Scott, passed away Sunday, July 15, 2018, at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott.

He was born April 26, 1928, in Richards, Missouri, the son of Francis Marion and Stella G. (McDaniel) Brown. He married Flossie Ruth Nance July 30, 1950, in Pawnee Station, Kansas. She preceded him in death December 6, 1991.

Shorty served in the Korean War with the US Marine Corps from March of 1952 until August of 1953. He was a dairy farmer and rancher, and he was a member of the Hiattville United Methodist Church. He was also a member of the Devon Masonic Lodge #92.

Shorty’s greatest joy was spending time with family, spoiling the grandchildren, and working on the ranch. He also enjoyed restoring antique steamer trunks as a hobby.

Survivors include his sons, Rocky J. Brown and wife Barbara, of Fort Scott, Kansas, and Macky M. Brown and his wife Heather, of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas; three grandchildren, Angela M. Bin, Timothy D. Brown and his wife Nicole, and Kaitlyn M. Brown; eight great-grandchildren, Levi N. Bin, Emmalee M. Bin, Austin C. Collins, Nicholas B. Ragan, Makenzie R. Brown, Abbigale A. Brown, Owen D. Brown, and Lillie M. Brown; and Coleene Lockwood, longtime special friend.

In addition to his wife Flossie, Shorty was also preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Melvin “Brownie” Brown, his wife Margaret “Teenie” Brown; a sister, Betty “Peggy” Clarkson, and her husband Richard “Blackie.”

Rev. Dallas Peterson will conduct funeral services at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, 2018, at the Konantz-Cheney

Funeral Home with burial following at Memory Gardens Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Monday evening, July 23, 2018, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Military Honors at the cemetery will be conducted by the Olson-Frary-Burkhart Post 1165 Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Detail. Masonic services will also take place at the cemetery and be conducted by the Devon Masonic Lodge #92. Memorial contributions may be made to The Beacon, or the Hiattville United Methodist Church, and left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, PO Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Roger “Butch” Matson, age 78, a resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Thursday, July 19, 2018, at his home, of stage IV esophageal cancer.

Mr. Matson was born August 26, 1939, in Pittsburg, KS, the son of Glenn Matson (Kirkwood, KS) and Elsie Standley (Monmouth, KS). He was a lifetime resident of Southeast Kansas. He attended Pittsburg schools and graduated from College Heights in 1957.

He married Judith Sayre on January 20, 1962, in Pittsburg. Mrs. Matson survives at the home on Maple Road, where they have lived since 1994.

Mr. Matson was employed by the Kansas National Guard, which he joined at age sixteen. He was retired from the Guard as Sergeant First Class in 1999. In retirement until shortly before death, he worked as a master electrician. Mr. Matson was a member of the First Church of God, Fort Scott, for over fifty years. Recently he was designated as a Lifetime Trustee, having served the church in many volunteer roles.

He is survived by his wife; one son, Quinton, Kansas City, MO; two daughters, Quita Coffman, Ft. Scott, and Dana Noe, Girard, KS; one sister, Patsy Ferrell, Woorster, OH; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.

No funeral service will be held. Friends may call on the family from 2:00 until 3:30 PM Sunday, July 22^nd, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Cremation will follow.

Private family interment in the U. S. National Cemetery, Ft. Scott, will take place at a later date. The family suggests expressions of sympathy be in the form of memorials to the Wounded Warrior Project and may be left in the care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.