Leonard (Junior) Beason, 79, El Dorado Springs, passed away April 15, 2010, at Cedar County Memorial Hospital in El Dorado Springs. He was born March 1, 1931, south of Stockton, the eighth of nine sons of Leonard and Dora Beason.
He attended Arcola School and then served in the United States Marine Corps from 1952 until 1954, serving in the Korean War and receiving the Purple Heart.
After his time in the military, Junior worked for the Gas Service Company (now Missouri Gas Energy) in Lee’s Summit for 35 years, retiring in 1991.
Junior married Beverly Joyce Whitesell. To this union were born twin daughters, Shauna Lea and Kauna Lynn, on July 17, 1955.
On March 1, 1965, Junior married Betty Preston of Stockton.
After retirement, he and Betty moved to a small farm west of El Dorado Springs. Junior loved to ride horses and attended many trail rides near Alley Springs. He loved to visit with people over a glass of tea at a coffee shop or the bowling alley.
Junior was preceded in death by his parents; eight brothers - Vic, Herb, Lee, Vernie, Frank, Russell, Gene, and Rueben; and a daughter, Kauna Lynn.
Junior is survived by his wife, Betty; a daughter, Shauna Elliott, and her husband, Owen; three grandchildren - Angi Cluck, and her husband, Scott, Kade Gerster and Autumn Gerster; two great-grandchildren, Kausha and Blake Cluck; and a sister-in-law, Erma Beason - all of El Dorado Springs; several nieces and nephews; and many friends from work, the coffee shops, the trail rides and the bowling alley.
Services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 20, at Bland-Hackleman Chapel with Rev. Brent Bland officiating. Music was provided by Anna Lee Barker and Eleanor Jones. Interment followed in El Dorado Springs City Cemetery.
Pallbearers were - Kade Gerster, Scott Cluck, Robert Spencer, Jason Greenstreet, David Pendergraph and Darrell Gerster. Honorary pallbearers were - Wesley Greenstreet, Owen Elliott, Blake Cluck, Darrel Whitesell and Jack Ellis.
