Donald Eugene Leatherman

Friday, January 9, 2009

Donald Eugene Leatherman, age 81, former resident of Vernon County, Mo., and more recently of Fort Scott, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, at the Mercy Health Center Emergency Room. He was born Sept. 2, 1927, in Arcadia, Kan., the son of Otis Leatherman and Pearl Lahman Leatherman. Don was a 1945 graduate of Nevada High School. He married Margaret Pettibon on May 11, 1952, in rural Deerfield, Mo. Don was a farmer/stockman on his own farm. He was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church. He had served at deacon at both the Deerfield Baptist Church and the First Southern Baptist Church. He was a former 4-H leader and was honored as an Honorary Chapter Farmer of the Nevada FFA. Don served on the Vernon County Soil and Water Conservation Board, and several terms on the Coal Township Board. He loved woodworking, hunting and especially fly fishing.

Survivors include his wife Margaret, of the home; three sons, Tom Leatherman and wife Connie, Peculiar, Mo., Steve Leatherman and wife Debbie, Joplin, Mo., and Mark Leatherman and wife Leanne, Fort Scott. Also surviving is a son-in-law, David Cannon, Louisburg, Kan.; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter, Beth Cannon, and one sister, Helen Funk.

The Rev. Mahlon Stucky will conduct funeral services at 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 10, in the First Southern Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Clarksburg Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday in the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to either the American Heart Association or the First Southern Baptist Church and may be sent to Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of comfort may be e-mailed to condolences@cheneywitt.com.