Leland Carter, 83, of Sweet Springs, MO, died Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital in Columbia, MO, surrounded by family.
Memorial services will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, December 7, 2020 at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Concordia with William W. Harlow officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Private family inurnment will be held at a later date at Greenwood Cemetery in Gallatin. Memorials are suggested to Disabled American Veterans and an online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com
Born January 23, 1937 in Daviess County, MO, he was the son of the late Lloyd Leland Carter and Twilah Marie McQueen Carter. Leland was raised in the Gallatin area and as a teenager he worked at the Gallatin MFA Exchange. He graduated from Gallatin High School in 1954, attended William Jewell College on a football scholarship and later managed the Green City MFA Exchange. On February 20, 1959 he married Julia Ann “Judy” Vyrostek. In 1960 Leland enlisted in the United States Army where he was assigned to the 7th Army, 67th Artillery in Stuttgart, Germany. He served honorably and achieved the rank of Corporal. After serving in the military, Leland and Judy moved to Sweet Springs where he managed the MFA Bulk Fertilizer Plant and later became general manager of the combined Sweet Springs and Emma Cooperative. He then finished his career working at Heartland Co-Op in Slater until his retirement. Leland served on the Sweet Springs Fair Board, was a member of the Lion’s Club and was a founding member of the Tri-City Country Club in Emma. He was known to spend his spare time woodworking, gardening or just enjoying a cold Busch Light in the backyard. He will be remembered for his persistence, resiliency, sense of humor, ornery smile and love of family.
Leland is survived by three children: Cindy Guilford (Vernon) of Raymore, MO, Kevin Carter (Angela) of Lake St. Louis, MO and Nikki Snider (Danny) of Sweet Springs, MO; eight grandchildren: Shelby, Hunter and Jay Guilford, Jonathan and Grant Carter, Jack Gelineau, and Addison and Blake Snider.
Leland was preceded in death by his parents; Judy, his wife of 61 years, who passed on September 20, 2020; and one son in infancy, Leland Kenneth Carter Jr.