Leo Lee Suter 1932-2007
Leo Lee Suter died at his home in Gainesville on November 23, 2007, at age 75. He was born March 24, 1932, in Udall, MO, the son of Foe and Elma (Mishler) Suter. He and Johnalee Crawford were married May 29, 1954 , in Yankton, South Dakota.
He served three years in the U.S. Army as a Radar Technician and was stationed in Alaska. He then worked as an Iron Worker out of Local 10. He and his family moved to several different states for him to work on lots of jobs. He worked on the Bridge of the Americas which spans the Panama Canal near Panama City. He help build the tower at KOLR 10 in Springfield and several in Wichita, when the lights would go out on these towers they would contact him and He would get a toe sack and fill it with bulbs and climb the tower. He was working on the Federal building in Kansas City, MO when he was knocked off the building by a headache ball causing him to fall three stories, landing and crushing both his ankles. While He was in the hospital it was written in the Kansas City Star the office building next to where they were working on the Federal building those office workers would watch these steel beam walkers on a daily basis and write notes on the windows to the workers and after they saw and heard that He had fallen the notes in the window were always asking "How is Leo". After the accident He had to choose a different career so He brought his family back to Ozark County where he bought his first truck and starting raising cattle. He retired in December 2006 after being in the trucking business for 45 years.
He enjoyed fishing, hunting, cattle and making a trade. The greatest pleasure of all was calling his kids when they had company so he could show of his grandkids and great grandkids and to set down to a good meal to enjoy and have a good visit.
Mr. Suter is survived by his wife, Johnalee; two sons, Mark Suter and his wife, Rhonda and Kent Suter all of Gainesville; three grandsons, Seth Suter, Cole Suter, of Gainesville, Shane Suter of Coffeyville, Kansas; five great grandchildren, Kursten Suter, Westley Suter, Lauren Suter, Laykn Suter and Laney Suter all of Gainesville; five brothers and many other relatives and friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers; one sister; and one grandson John Suter.
Funeral Services will be Monday, November 26, 2007 at 2:00 pm, Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Gainesville, with Dale Roberts officiating. Burial will follow at Howards Ridge Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday afternoon 2-4 pm.