Leona Petty Conrow - Obituary

Leona Petty Conrow passed into the arms of our Lord on April 14, 2017, at her home in Duenweg, Missouri, following a long journey with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Leona was born, in Joplin, Mo., on May 30, 1926, to Austin and Elgie (Wagner) Longstreet. The family moved to Neosho when she was a small child; they moved to the Wagner Family farm in the fall of 1932. She attended Hammer School until they moved to Joplin in 1940. Leona graduated from Joplin High School in 1944; she then attended Joplin Junior College majoring in Art.

Leona married Arthur C. Petty, on November 1, 1946, at Ft. Bliss, Texas. From there they went to Ft. Ord, California. They, then, moved to a small farm north of Diamond, Missouri. There they became dairy farmers and built a large herd of registered Holstein cattle. They acquired additional land and became both grain and dairy farmers. They became members of Liberty Presbyterian Church.

Arthur died, in 1972, and Leona and their children continued to operate the farm. She also was active in Liberty Extension Club and Jones Creek 4-H Club, where she was a leader for 25 years. She served in leadership roles in Newton County Farm Bureau, Newton County Soil and Water Conservation District and Newton County Resource and Development Committee.

Leona married Pete Conrow, on January 1, 1982 at Diamond, Missouri. She became a member of Duenweg Baptist Church. Pete survives Leona at their home in Duenweg, Missouri. Also surviving are eight children: Linda James (Larry), Neosho; Mary Lou Sloan (Steve), Joplin; Ann Patrick (Glen), rural Diamond; Deana Crouch, Springfield; Arthur Petty (Cathy), rural Diamond; Marcia Petty, Duenweg; Laura Mills, Joplin; and Julia Fehring (David), rural Neosho; and a son-in-law, Roger Mullin, rural Carthage. She is also survived by three step children: Dennis Conrow (Cathy), Carthage; Debbie Rhodes (John), Duenweg; and Jeannie Forbes, State of Oregon. Other survivors include 26 grandchildren and 43 great grandchildren. Leona was preceded in death by a daughter, Alice Mullin, and two sons-in-law, Gary Crouch and Larry Mills.

Leona was an avid quilter, having made dozens of quilts for family and friends. She enjoyed gardening and preserving her produce; she made awesome dill pickles. She especially loved flowers and had beautiful flower gardens. She enjoyed sharing bouquets with her church, her family and friends and neighbors. Leona kept fresh bouquets, from her garden, on the kitchen table. When she became unable to pick her own flowers, her family kept fresh flowers on the table and by her bedside. This brought joy until her passing.

Memorial services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday April 20, 2017 at the Duenweg Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Annie Armstrong Easter offering, a children’s mission in care of the Mortuary.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Mason-Woodard Mortuary and Crematory.

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