Edna Mae (Schmidt) Leonard, 99, El Dorado Springs, passed away May 30, 2010, at Community Springs Healthcare Facility. She was born Sept. 9, 1910, to Charley and Viola (Davis) Schmidt in St. Clair County.
Edna’s early childhood was spent in Black Jack. When she was about 11, her parents moved with her and her brother, Everett, to Cedar County, where her father ran a store at Cline Hill. She attended school at Black Jack, Cline Hill, Caplinger Mills and graduated high school at El Dorado Springs in 1929. Edna then attended Southwest Missouri State Teachers College, where she earned a degree in teaching in 1930. Edna taught school at Black Jack for one year and Cline Hill for one year.
On Sept. 9, 1931, she married Johnnie Leonard. To this union three children were born - Virgie, Rose and Jerl. Later they moved to Cedar Springs and operated the store on the north side of Hwy. 54. They moved to California for 13 months and then returned to operate the store in Cedar Springs. After selling the store, Edna worked for a year at the Ben Franklin Store in El Dorado Springs and then worked for 26 years at the International Shoe Company in El Dorado Springs, retiring in 1976. During all this time, she milked cows, did gardening and was a good mother to her children. She taught them to help do the chores with her.
After her illness in 1987, she moved to her daughter, Virgie’s, place and became known as the’“flower lady.” She raised and gave away flowers and seeds to numbers of people. Edna continued this until about five years ago and, because of her health, she turned this over to her daughter, granddaughter and great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Charley and Viola; her husband, Johnnie; her brother, Everett and his wife, Katie; and one son-in-law, Charles Smith.
Edna is survived by her three children - Virgie Francis, and husband, George Ray, Rose Smith, and Jerl Leonard, and, Berta - all of El Dorado Springs; nine grandchildren - Lynn and Rex Ann Francis - El Dorado Springs, Mark and Rhonda Francis - Concord, NC, Georgie and Kevin Cook - Urbana, Gregg Francis - Lamar, Charles Neil and Ingrid Smith - El Dorado Springs, Charles Jr. and Tina Keith - El Dorado Springs, Terry and Ange Smith - El Dorado Springs, Edna Mae and Christopher DeFreece - Kansas City, and Jeri Ann Leonard; three step grandchildren - Debra and Mark Smith, Paula and Wes Stoner and Lisa and Ben Cochran;
many great-grandchildren and step great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.
Services will begin at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 3, at Bland-Hackleman Chapel with Brother Ralph Benham and Brother DeWayne Burdette officiating. Burial will follow in Hazel Dell Cemetery under the direction of Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home, El Dorado Springs.
Pallbearers will be - Chris DeFreece, Neil Smith, Lynn Francis, Terry Smith, Charles Keith Jr., Dakota DeFreece, Gregg Francis and Kevin Cook.
