James Lynne Ramsey

James Lynne Ramsey, 87, of Fort Scott, died Friday morning, March 7, 2008, at the Medicalodge Nursing Home. He was born Aug. 1, 1920, in Uniontown, Kan., the son of Dr. Arch L. and Nellie Dean (Kelly) Ramsey. He married Helena E. Greenfield, his college sweetheart, on April 26, 1942, in Garland, Kan. She survives of the home.

Lynne grew up on the family farm, south of Uniontown where he learned to hunt and fish at an early age, and which he enjoyed until his final illness.

He attended the Uniontown schools, Fort Scott Community College, and Kansas State Agricultural College in Manhattan, Kansas. He graduated with a degree in Electronic Engineering.

At the beginning of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army, 214th Signal Corps. Following basic training at Fort Monmouth, N.J., he was in the first radar training class at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lynne served in the European Theatre, spending time in England and Belgium, and became commander of a radar maintenance unit in France. He was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service.

After his discharge from service, he spent almost his entire career as an engineer for the Federal Aviation Agency in Kansas City, and Washington D.C. In 1961, he began teaching shooting sports in Arlington, Virginia, and helped coach national winning teams, which included his sons, John and James. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and was very active in Hunter Safety Education.

He retired in 1975 after 30 years of service. Following retirement, the Ramseys moved to Bourbon County to be near family.

Lynne is survived by his wife, Helena, of the home; two daughters, Mary E. Ramsey, of Leesburg, Va., and Martha L. Bruneton and husband Patrice, of La Chalard, France; two sons, John S. Ramsey and his wife Carole, of Topeka, Kan., and James A. Ramsey and his wife Vickie, of Garland, Kan., a sister; Carrol Henderson, of Lindon, Kan.; five grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, and several step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and two brothers, Harold Ramsey, and William Ramsey.

The Rev. Paul Babcock will conduct funeral services for Lynne 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 11, with burial following at the Fort Scott National Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday evening, March 10, from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Greenfield-Ramsey Scholarship Fund at the Fort Scott Community College or to The Beacon, and left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Expressions of sympathy may be emailed to the family at expressions@konantz-cheney.com.