LEON CARTER

Leon Melvin Carter, at age 82, was called home to glory as he slept on May 25, 2018. He was born on March 3, 1936, in Winchester, Arkansas, to Ollie Carter and Obeneida Brown, who preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death is one sister, Earlene Burton.

Leon was an ambitious and multi-talented man. If he saw you do it, he could do it! If he didn’t know how to do it, he would figure out how to get it done. Leon grew up in Winchester, Arkansas, earning his way through life. He moved to Mississippi, then on to Chicago, Illinois, finally making his home in Kansas, where he met Darnett, the love of his life.

His passions were cars, music and traveling. Leon was so talented he could build a car from scratch to its natural form, restoring Model A’s and Model T’s and creating hot rods. For a man with no diploma, he was a very smart and promising young man. Leon was the same way with music. He could hear it and produce the same similar sounds from the guitar, saxophone and harmonica, just pure natural talent.

Leon worked as a chef at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, and served four years at the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.

Leon was a truck driver for a short time, having desires of wanting to own his own business. He saved and opened a grocery store (Carter’s Dairy Store). It grew to be very prosperous. Later he opened a burger joint (Carter’s Malt Shop), a junkyard (C&S Auto Salvage) and C&S Beauty Visors, hiring family and friends.

Leon was a Koran Shriner #33 Masons Motor Patrol, attending several city and state parades.

Leon was a business owner, a jack-of-all-trades, mechanic, car designer, home remodeler, and definitely all of our support lines when something needed to be fixed.

Now! He was also tough on a lot of us, only because he knew we would have figured it out on our own, just as he had to in life.

He raised his children to be strong and independent! Dad would say, “That no obstacle is an obstacle for too long. There are solutions to every situation, and if you keep trying, you will succeed. Failure is only lessons for improvements, so stop feeling sorry for yourself! Get back up and keep going.”

Leon was a very generous person. He was always giving away food and other necessary items in the store to customers in need or short on funds. Mom (Darnett) would always get upset and say, “How are we supposed to make a living if you are always giving everything away?” Dad would say, “Yeah!! But they will remember what I did, and they will keep coming back because we were there when they needed us!”

Leon was baptized at a young age in a pond by an old pastor in Arkansas. He recently asked to be baptized again, August 13, 2017, accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He asked the Lord in his way to forgive him for all the wrong he had done. Leon grew in the Lord and loved going to church to hear the Word of God and listen to the gospel.

Leon was a loving father, father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather. He enjoyed his family time and gatherings to rejoice on family occasions.

Leon was known to many as “Jack”, “Doc Carter” and “Cool Breeze”. No matter the names, he always had that smile and that laugh that would just brighten up your day.

Dad was always wanting to help you on anything no matter what. Leon fought every day to beat his Alzheimers. He would always say, “I’m going to figure out how to beat this!” Shy would say, “You do that, Dad, I know you can!” Leon fought to the very end, now he shall suffer no more. Rest in peace, Dad! “We love you!!!”

Leon leaves to mourn his passing to his five sons, oldest to the youngest, Leon M. Carter Jr. (Latres), Andre Meeks, Dion M. Carter, Leroy M. Carter, and Anthony Carter, all from Kansas City, Kansas. Also to mourn are his two daughters, Rhonda Meeks of Kansas City, Kansas, and Toshytome “Pam” Campbell (Tony) of Dallas, TX; a special granddaughter, Nikita Carter of Fort Worth, TX; one sister, Lacy L. Reed of Kansas City, Kansas; fifteen grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.