Howard Leon Caskey, age 89, passed away on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at his home in Clinton, Missouri.
Howard Leon Caskey was born on May 22, 1936 to Alfred and Irene (Anderson) Caskey and died at his home northeast of Clinton, Missouri on July 30, 2025. He grew up in Hume, Missouri and graduated from Hume High School in 1953. After graduating from high school, he went to Washington, DC to intern with the FBI. In 1954, shortly before his 18th birthday, he joined the United States Air Force where he served for just shy of four years. His service in the Air Force took him to, among other places, Africa, Portugal and Paris. In 1957, he returned stateside and was stationed out of Whiteman Air Force Base.
On June 15, 1957, Leon married Shirley Joyce Chapman at her parents’ home near Metz, Missouri. Leon and Shirley began their life together in an apartment within a house in Kansas City, Missouri. In March 1958, they began their family with the birth of their son Robin Howard. In 1959, they moved to Clinton where they continued to live for the next 66 years. In March 1959, James Randal joined their growing family, and in April 1961, Ronald Fred was born, expanding their family to five. In June 1966, Shirley gave birth to a daughter, Teresa Dianne, to complete their family.
In 1967, Leon completed a correspondence course to become an electrician. Following in his father’s footsteps, Leon worked for 20+ years with Peabody Coal Company, first at the Tebo Mine in Calhoun and then at the Power Mine in Montrose. He enjoyed his work as an electrician on the draglines and shovels, and made many close friends while working for Peabody. When Peabody shut down in Missouri, Leon transitioned to owning his own company, Caskey Electrical Contracting, where he did electrical work on large equipment, primarily for sand and gravel companies in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. Shirley would often go with him on his jobs, acting as his scribe for the forms that needed to be completed.
In 1972, Leon and Shirley built and moved into their home northeast of Clinton where Leon fancied himself as a “gentleman farmer,” raising cows and chickens and, during the summer, baling hay. Moving to the country allowed him to expand his garden from a small plot to an enormous garden. He loved everything about having a garden, from tilling to planting to harvesting to eating to sharing his bounty with friends and family.
Leon loved deer hunting, goose hunting, and fishing – first with his father and brothers, then with his sons and finally with his grandsons. When they moved to the farm, Leon bought a bulldozer and dug two ponds. Over time, he hand-stocked the ponds with catfish, bass and bluegill, mostly through fishing the strip pits near Calhoun and bringing the fish home to put in the ponds. Throughout the years, he caught countless catfish out of Truman Lake on limb lines – many weighing more than 50 pounds.
When his body no longer allowed him to hunt and fish, Leon moved his hobby indoors to watching Royals baseball, Missouri basketball, Chiefs football and pretty much any sport he could find on television. He was a loyal Royals and Chiefs fan – not just in their good years, but also in their lean years. He also loved watching the Western Channel even though he had seen every show multiple times before.
Leon’s relationship with Jesus was central to his life. In 1965, Leon was ordained as a deacon through Allen Street Baptist Church. He and Shirley were members at Allen Street for well over 50 years, where he held many roles. His favorite was as a Sunday School teacher for the senior adults. Leon and Shirley had many lifelong friendships from their time at Allen Street.
Next to Jesus, the most important person in his life was Shirley, his wife of 61 years. He never left the house without kissing her goodbye, and he kissed her again when he arrived home at the end of the day. His world was turned upside down when Shirley passed away suddenly in November 2018. He missed her everyday and was anxious to rejoin her.
He was preceded in death by his wife (Shirley), his parents (Alfred and Irene Caskey), his father-in-law and mother-in-law (Fred and Iva Chapman), three brothers (Robert, Harold and Ray Lee), one sister (Velma May), two sons (Rob and Ron), and one granddaughter (Heather Willcockson). He is survived by his son Randy, his daughter Teresa and son-in-law Darin, his grandchildren Nathan and his wife Krissy, Steve, Allison and Victoria, his great-grandchildren Alyssa, Amber, Paisley and Silas, his former daughters-in-law Zenda Roark and Pam Caskey, and his sisters-in-law Sharon (Don) Brenton, Jeri Leigh Caskey and Kay Caskey.
Celebration of Life services were held August 3, 2025 at Allen Street Baptist Church, Clinton with Pastor Justin Wright officiating. Special music included "He Hideth My Soul and It Is Well with My Soul" with Sharon and Don Brenton as vocalists. The honorary bearers were Nathan Caskey, Rick Warden, Robert D. Caskey, Steve Caskey, Kyle Caskey, Mike May and Blake Brenton. Inurnment followed in Drakes Chapel Cemetery, Clinton, MO.
Services were under the direction of Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, MO.
