Person:Leslie Couch (2)

The Rev. Leslie Couch Jr. of Quapaw died Friday, March 26, 2004, at St. John’s Regional Medical Center after a short illness. He was 83. Couch was born March 12, 1921, in Tiff City, Mo., to the Rev. Leslie and Minnie (Stout) Couch. He served in the Army Medical Detachment of the 349th Infantry during World War II. He worked at Root Manufacturing in Baxter Springs, Kan., and Lavern’s Wedding Parlor in Miami, but spent most of his life in service to the Lord, pastoring at Cardin Baptist Church, Quapaw Baptist Church, Ketchum Baptist Church and was currently pastoring at Southeast Baptist Church in Miami. He had been in the Northeast Baptist Association for more than 50 years and enjoyed a close friendship with the pastors in the association. He served as deacon in Hockerville Baptist Church and was ordained as a minister on Feb. 24, 1952, at Cardin Baptist Church. He loved quail hunting, fishing and gardening and was an avid baseball fan. He was known for his humor, compassion for people and never met a stranger. He was nicknamed “Woody” at the Grand Lake campgrounds and loved to make people laugh with good-natured teasing. He always said his best memories were those he had of all the wonderful Christian people he met throughout his ministry. “Junior” had six men surrender to preach under his ministry: Fred Von Moss, Bill Hansford, Bob Williams, Hershel Ellis, Basil Meeks and Stephen Hunter. He married Georgiana Smith on Sept. 10, 1943. They had three daughters, Ida Parkison, Mary Spicer and Kim Baldwin. She preceded him in death on Oct. 6, 1966. He later married Ruth Garrett, who preceded him in death on May 20, 1997. His parents, two brothers, Vernon and Charles Couch, and one son-in-law, “Fats” Baldwin, also preceded him in death. Survivors include three daughters, Ida Parkison and her husband Bill of Cardin, Mary Spicer and her husband Paul, and Kim Baldwin of Miami; two stepchildren, Ted Garrett and Suzy Lloyd; six grandchildren, Kellie Edmond, Melanie Borrow, Chris Spicer, Chad Parkison, Bill Parkison and Cordaro Baldwin; 12 great-grandchildren, Preslynn Samuel, Michaela Spicer, Blake Parkison, Hunter Burrow, Kalynn Samuel, Dakota Burrow, Kiowa Spicer, Dezesia Edmond, Phoenix Burrow, Patrick Edmond, Sierra Burrow and Delanie Edmond, and several nephews and nieces. Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church in Miami with the Revs. Lloyd Crawford, Clyde Stilley, Ed McFall and Fred Von Moss officiating. Burial will be in the G.A.R. Cemetery in Miami. All area pastors and men of Southeast Baptist Church of Miami will serve as honorary pallbearers. The American Legion Post No. 147 Veterans’ Funeral Detail will conduct military rites. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Paul Thomas Funeral Home in Miami. The family will meet at the home of Mary Spicer at 1104 23rd Street SW in Miami until the time of the service. The Rev. Couch will be greatly missed by so many friends. His favorite saying was “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to the grace of God.”