Leslie Spaulding

Leslie Carol Spaulding, 84, of Canyon passed away on Monday, July 23, 2018. Memorial services will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday, July 28, 2018 at the First Baptist Church with Gene Jones, Associate Pastor of Adults Ministries, officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday, July 27 at the First Baptist Church Ministry Center from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. Leslie Carol Spaulding was born March 6, 1934 to Virgil and Martha Spaulding in Kismet, Seward County, Kansas. During his early years the family lived in the Kismet area except for a short time where they lived on a farm near Florence, Missouri. Les attended the Kismet Schools and graduated from Kismet High School in 1952. After attending Northwestern State College in Alva, Oklahoma for two years he volunteered for the draft and spent two years in the U.S. Army. Nineteen months of his army career was spent with an Army Aircraft Battery at Eilson Airforce Base, Alaska. On February 5, 1955 Leslie and Esther Irene Pennington were married at Chapel 10, Ft Bliss Texas. Shortly after their marriage Les was transferred to Alaska, where Esther joined him. They spent seventeen months living in Fairbanks. To this marriage were born four children, Leslie Jr., Gregory, Jane and Deborah. After discharge from the army, Les earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting at Kansas State University. After graduation Les worked for an accounting firm, an insurance agency, owned a sporting goods business, then finished his career as Division Administrative Manager with Anadarko Petroleum Corp. Les was involved with his church, acting in several capacities, including singing in a mixed quartet for over forty years. Also, he was involved with the Liberal Chamber of Commerce where he served two terms as a director and thirty-three years as an ambassador. He was also involved in the Liberal Kids Inc. program as a director and coach. Les enjoyed hunting, being with the children as they participated in sports, music, scouts and family skiing trips. He also enjoyed the traveling he and Esther were able to do. After retirement he enjoyed woodcarving and was an active member of the Golden Spread Woodcarvers Club. He also taught carving to a group of veterans. Les is survived by his wife, Esther of the home; son, Leslie JR and wife Patty of Amarillo; son, Gregory and wife Pam of Manhattan, KS; daughter, Jane Dougherty and husband Kevin of Canyon; daughter, Deborah Balfour of Amarillo; sister, Phyllis Wasson and husband Chester of Meade, KS; seven grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the First Baptist Church, 1717 4th Ave., Canyon, TX 79015 or to Heal the City, P.O. Box 2556 Amarillo, TX  79105.