My Grandfather, Lee Leaverton passed away at 4:15 p.m. on August 15, 2007 after being diagnosed with lung cancer the previous fall. His cancer had only turned serious six days earlier. His family had provided hospice care in the home during his last few days. While Lee was a previous smoker, he hadn't had a cigarette in more than twenty-five years before his diagnosis.
Lee was born in Burlington, IA to LeRoy Leaverton and Blanche Hunter on May 29, 1931, they preceded him in death. On October 29, 1960, he married Shirley Kuntz in Palmyra, Missouri, who survives. Lee was also survived by two sisters, Phyllis Mondorf and Betty Weile; Three sons, Jeffrey Creen, Nathan Creen, and Matthew Leaverton; Three daughters, Leigh Leaverton, Melissa Freeman, Alice Woody; Nine Grandchildren, Jason Creen, James Creen, Erica Creen, Jeirod Nichting, Haeley Creen, Serena Stevens, Hannah Freeman, Heather Freeman, and Elizabeth Cullen. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, five sisters, and one daughter-in-law.
Lee had served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He loved to regale his family repeatedly with stories from his military career. Lee had spent most of his adult life working with the Prison Industries as their Superintendent and was well respected by the inmates in his charge because "I was hard, but I was fair." – Lee Leaverton
Lee had looked forward to the upcoming 2008 Presidential Election with great optimism. He was a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter and had declared her husband, Bill Clinton as "The Greatest American President that the world will ever know." He enjoyed repeatedly watching the promotional DVD the Hillary Clinton Campaign had sent him in the mail.
My Grandfather taught me to make your actions speak louder than words. My Grandfather wasn't your typical Grandparent, while he never told me that he loved me, but he showed it through his actions. The one time that sticks in my mind was when the Department of Transportation had repaved our road and removed our mailbox and left it sitting by the side of the road. I called my Grandfather that hot summer day and asked if I could borrow a shove to re-dig a hole to put it back up. My Grandfather showed up five minutes later with the shovel and began digging the hole himself. Any attempts to get him to stop since he was sweating and near collapse was met with a flurry of language that I best not repeat. He was bound and determined to do this nice deed for his family, health be damned.
Lee was buried with full military honors in Oakland Cemetery on August 20, 2007.
While my grandfather did have his faults; he could be loud, opinionated, and down-right cantankerous at times, but he was my Grandfather, and I loved him.
Lee was born in Burlington, IA to LeRoy Leaverton and Blanche Hunter on May 29, 1931, they preceded him in death. On October 29, 1960, he married Shirley Kuntz in Palmyra, Missouri, who survives. Lee was also survived by two sisters, Phyllis Mondorf and Betty Weile; Three sons, Jeffrey Creen, Nathan Creen, and Matthew Leaverton; Three daughters, Leigh Leaverton, Melissa Freeman, Alice Woody; Nine Grandchildren, Jason Creen, James Creen, Erica Creen, Jeirod Nichting, Haeley Creen, Serena Stevens, Hannah Freeman, Heather Freeman, and Elizabeth Cullen. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, five sisters, and one daughter-in-law.
Lee had served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He loved to regale his family repeatedly with stories from his military career. Lee had spent most of his adult life working with the Prison Industries as their Superintendent and was well respected by the inmates in his charge because "I was hard, but I was fair." – Lee Leaverton
Lee had looked forward to the upcoming 2008 Presidential Election with great optimism. He was a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter and had declared her husband, Bill Clinton as "The Greatest American President that the world will ever know." He enjoyed repeatedly watching the promotional DVD the Hillary Clinton Campaign had sent him in the mail.
My Grandfather taught me to make your actions speak louder than words. My Grandfather wasn't your typical Grandparent, while he never told me that he loved me, but he showed it through his actions. The one time that sticks in my mind was when the Department of Transportation had repaved our road and removed our mailbox and left it sitting by the side of the road. I called my Grandfather that hot summer day and asked if I could borrow a shove to re-dig a hole to put it back up. My Grandfather showed up five minutes later with the shovel and began digging the hole himself. Any attempts to get him to stop since he was sweating and near collapse was met with a flurry of language that I best not repeat. He was bound and determined to do this nice deed for his family, health be damned.
Lee was buried with full military honors in Oakland Cemetery on August 20, 2007.
While my grandfather did have his faults; he could be loud, opinionated, and down-right cantankerous at times, but he was my Grandfather, and I loved him.
My Grandfather, Lee Leaverton passed away at 4:15 p.m. on August 15, 2007 after being diagnosed with lung cancer the previous fall. His cancer had only turned serious six days earlier. His family had provided hospice care in the home during his last few days. While Lee was a previous smoker, he hadn't had a cigarette in more than twenty-five years before his diagnosis.
Lee was born in Burlington, IA to LeRoy Leaverton and Blanche Hunter on May 29, 1931, they preceded him in death. On October 29, 1960, he married Shirley Kuntz in Palmyra, Missouri, who survives. Lee was also survived by two sisters, Phyllis Mondorf and Betty Weile; Three sons, Jeffrey Creen, Nathan Creen, and Matthew Leaverton; Three daughters, Leigh Leaverton, Melissa Freeman, Alice Woody; Nine Grandchildren, Jason Creen, James Creen, Erica Creen, Jeirod Nichting, Haeley Creen, Serena Stevens, Hannah Freeman, Heather Freeman, and Elizabeth Cullen. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, five sisters, and one daughter-in-law.
Lee had served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He loved to regale his family repeatedly with stories from his military career. Lee had spent most of his adult life working with the Prison Industries as their Superintendent and was well respected by the inmates in his charge because "I was hard, but I was fair." – Lee Leaverton
Lee had looked forward to the upcoming 2008 Presidential Election with great optimism. He was a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter and had declared her husband, Bill Clinton as "The Greatest American President that the world will ever know." He enjoyed repeatedly watching the promotional DVD the Hillary Clinton Campaign had sent him in the mail.
My Grandfather taught me to make your actions speak louder than words. My Grandfather wasn't your typical Grandparent, while he never told me that he loved me, but he showed it through his actions. The one time that sticks in my mind was when the Department of Transportation had repaved our road and removed our mailbox and left it sitting by the side of the road. I called my Grandfather that hot summer day and asked if I could borrow a shove to re-dig a hole to put it back up. My Grandfather showed up five minutes later with the shovel and began digging the hole himself. Any attempts to get him to stop since he was sweating and near collapse was met with a flurry of language that I best not repeat. He was bound and determined to do this nice deed for his family, health be damned.
Lee was buried with full military honors in Oakland Cemetery on August 20, 2007.
While my grandfather did have his faults; he could be loud, opinionated, and down-right cantankerous at times, but he was my Grandfather, and I loved him.
Lee was born in Burlington, IA to LeRoy Leaverton and Blanche Hunter on May 29, 1931, they preceded him in death. On October 29, 1960, he married Shirley Kuntz in Palmyra, Missouri, who survives. Lee was also survived by two sisters, Phyllis Mondorf and Betty Weile; Three sons, Jeffrey Creen, Nathan Creen, and Matthew Leaverton; Three daughters, Leigh Leaverton, Melissa Freeman, Alice Woody; Nine Grandchildren, Jason Creen, James Creen, Erica Creen, Jeirod Nichting, Haeley Creen, Serena Stevens, Hannah Freeman, Heather Freeman, and Elizabeth Cullen. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, five sisters, and one daughter-in-law.
Lee had served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He loved to regale his family repeatedly with stories from his military career. Lee had spent most of his adult life working with the Prison Industries as their Superintendent and was well respected by the inmates in his charge because "I was hard, but I was fair." – Lee Leaverton
Lee had looked forward to the upcoming 2008 Presidential Election with great optimism. He was a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter and had declared her husband, Bill Clinton as "The Greatest American President that the world will ever know." He enjoyed repeatedly watching the promotional DVD the Hillary Clinton Campaign had sent him in the mail.
My Grandfather taught me to make your actions speak louder than words. My Grandfather wasn't your typical Grandparent, while he never told me that he loved me, but he showed it through his actions. The one time that sticks in my mind was when the Department of Transportation had repaved our road and removed our mailbox and left it sitting by the side of the road. I called my Grandfather that hot summer day and asked if I could borrow a shove to re-dig a hole to put it back up. My Grandfather showed up five minutes later with the shovel and began digging the hole himself. Any attempts to get him to stop since he was sweating and near collapse was met with a flurry of language that I best not repeat. He was bound and determined to do this nice deed for his family, health be damned.
Lee was buried with full military honors in Oakland Cemetery on August 20, 2007.
While my grandfather did have his faults; he could be loud, opinionated, and down-right cantankerous at times, but he was my Grandfather, and I loved him.
