Leonard Crewse

James Leonard Crewse was born May 20, 1940, at Huggins, Missouri, the seventh child of Hobert and Dollie (Greenlee) Crewse. He departed this life at his home in Graff on February 21, 2023, at the age of 82 years, 9 months, and 1 day.

Leonard grew up in the Graff community, attending Crewse School and Union Chapel Church. He professed faith in Jesus Christ at the age of twelve while attending a revival being conducted by his uncle, the Reverend John Jefferson Postlewait. His walk with God never wavered for the next seventy years, and at the time of his death he was a member, deacon, and Sunday School Superintendent at the New Rock Springs Church.

In 1958, Leonard was drafted into the United States Army, and sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana, for basic training. Two months in, it was discovered Leonard had a welder’s burn on one eye which hindered him from being able to see down a rifle scope. He was honorably discharged and sent home, where he began his work as an auto mechanic. He worked for a time as a mechanic for the Graven Brothers, the original owners of M&G Automotive, in Mountain Grove. Afterward, he worked on his own, on the lot of his brother-in-law, Art Raschko’s auto body shop, which is the current location of McDonald’s. Building a clientele, by 1963, he and his brother, Donald, built a shop at Graff and offered both auto mechanics and auto body services. In the early 1970s, Leonard and Donald split the business and Leonard took over the auto mechanic side. He built a garage near his house where he worked on engines and began to build a salvage yard. He worked at this business, Crewse Garage and Salvage, for the next 40 some years.

A good cup of coffee and cars were his passion, whether he was working on cars for others, or building his own show cars. The last one, a beautiful 1939 Ford Coupe, had been a lifelong passion that he completed after a difficult time with his health.

He met the love of his life, Marilyn Branson, on New Year’s Eve of 1960, at the skating rink, west of Houston, Missouri. Marilyn, an expert skater, tripped Leonard who was just learning. His wrist was nearly fractured and hurt him for several years to come, but he took Marilyn home that night, only to be disappointed to learn her mother thought fourteen was too young to date. But in early 1964, a chance meeting in Houston led, finally, to that first date of a match made in Heaven. On November 25, 1964, Leonard and Marilyn were married at the home of Ed Bruce, Leonard’s pastor at Union Chapel.

In 1967, Leonard and Marilyn bought the old Boykin place at Graff, a place Leonard had dreamed of owning since a boy. Years of remodeling and rebuilding changed a tiny four room house into a two story, four bedroom, love-filled home. Here, they raised one daughter and four sons, with so much love, laughter, hard work, coffee, and faith. Sitting around the dinner table, listening to Leonard’s stories never got old. The family grew to include the children’s spouses, twenty grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Leonard was preceded in death by his parents, seven siblings, Franklin, Elsie, Cledith, Pauline, Geraldine, Carlene and Francis, and one grandson, Brett.

He is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn, daughter, Traci (and Terry) Bohannon, sons, Len (and Terri) Crewse, Rob (and Christy) Crewse, Stacy (and Kim) Crewse, and Stephen (and Misti) Crewse. Also ten granddaughters, Jaedyn (and Payte) Dugger, Mattie (and Adriel) Landis, Makenna (and Brenton) Sellars, Caitlyn (and Luke) Fry, Emily, Whitney, Janessa, Chloe, Claire and Cara Crewse, eight grandsons, Nathan (and McKenna) Bohannon, Nick Bohannon, Branson (and Emily) Crewse, Bryce, Trent, Montgomery, James Alan (and Caitlyn), and Corbin Crewse, five great-grandchildren, Dustin, Essie, and Dottie Landis, Elias Bohannon, and Luella Crewse, brother and lifetime best friend, Donald (and Darlene) Crewse, sisters Norma (and Charles) Horton and June (and Bill) Keplar.

Proverbs 13:22 says “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children…”

Truly Leonard has left an inheritance for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Not treasure as the world seeks, but a love and loyalty for family, honesty, integrity, a hard work ethic, and most importantly, a godly heritage.

This isn’t goodbye, Daddy. It’s only, see you later.