COONS, Leland W.

Leland W. Coons, 89, was born Feb. 11, 1921 in Kentucky and passed away June 17, 2010 in Arizona. He was a devout Christian, proud U.S. Army veteran, southern gentleman and loving family man. Lee attended grade school, high school and college in Kentucky and served during World War II on Adak in the Aleutian Islands. He returned from service and came to Phoenix, Arizona on Dec. 21, 1946. He and his wife, Virginia, built a house on Fairmount Ave and lived there until 2003, raising three daughters. Severely burned in a work-related accident in 1946, he was not expected to survive. After a year in the hospital, he took a job at Salt River Project, where he worked until his retirement. Lee served for many years as a deacon and Sunday School superintendent in the Southern Baptist Church and as a member and officer of Toastmasters International. He was also active in the PTA and was interested in politics, working at the polls in almost every election. In 2003, he and his wife moved to Clarkdale, Arizona to the home of their daughter, where he spent his remaining years. Lee was preceded in death by his parents, Shully and Edna Coons, and his uncle and aunt, Roscoe and Samantha White. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Evans Coons; his sister, Nancy (Beryl) Franklin, of Monroe, Louisiana; his daughters, Carolyn ( Danny) Whittle, Karyn Baltz and Melissa (Russell) Gates; grandchildren, David (Lisa) Whittle, Mike (Rondelle) Whittle, Karissa (Craig) Thompson, Ben (Cindi) Baltz, Lindsey Miranda, Camille (David Estes) and Zachary Gates; and great-grandchildren, Alek, Evelynn and Ben Thompson, Taige Baltz, Micah Mendez, Angie Whittle and Vivian Miranda. Graveside services will be at 9 a.m. Friday, July 2 at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road. Bueler Mortuary of Cottonwood. Published in The Arizona Republic on June 27, 2010