William F. Leffen, born October 19, 1925 in Joplin, passed away Tuesday, June 28.
He was the son of the late Stanford and Goodner Leffen. Bill graduated Joplin Senior High School in January 1943 where he majored in ROTC and lettered in football and basketball.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June 1943 and served three years in the South Pacific as a Lieutenant. He graduated from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.
He was hired by Citizens Bank of Joplin (now Commerce) in 1948. He retired as President in 1969, but remained as Chairman of the Board until 1995.
Bill served on the Board of Directors of Commerce Bancshares, Inc., of Kansas City from 1969 until 1995. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Joplin Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors of the Joplin Rotary Club, Board of Directors of the American Red Cross and Board of Directors of Twin Hills Golf and Country Club.
Bill is survived by his wife, Virginia; his three daughters, Penny Leffen Scearce (Bill) of Joplin, Beth Leffen Cole (Marty) of Overland Park, Kansas, and Sarah Leffen of Denver; four granddaughters, Becca Cole, Mollie Cole, Tricia Jones (Jeff) and Meg Skaggs (Sam); four step-sons, James Darnell, Monty Overman, Scott Overman and Rocky Overman; five great grandsons and three great granddaughters.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 1, 2016 at the First United Methodist Church. Private burial will follow with Wes Houser, David Austin, Konrad Heid, Bill Scearce, Marty Cole and Bill Fowkes servicing as pallbearers, and Eddie McKay, Doug Adams, Rocky Overman, Monty Overman, Scotty Overman, Henry Robertson and Leroy Rice serving as honorary pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church or the Bill and Virginia Leffen Autism Center.
Arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.
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