Obituary of Leroy Small

Leroy Small, 87, of Cairo, passed away January 3, 2021 at University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia, MO.  He was born on October 24, 1933 in Aurora, CO to Roy Small and Gladys Hatfield Small.

Leroy graduated from Bennett High School in Bennett, CO in 1951 and was drafted into the United States Army in 1952.  He received basic and artillery training at Camp Chaffee, AR.  He was then sent to Ft. Lewis, WA, and on to Sasebo, Japan for a month.  Leroy then spent eleven months in Korea where he was with the Ninth Corp Field Artillery.  From there he was stationed at Camp Drake in Japan for sixteen months.  Leroy was eventually sent to Ft. Riley, KS where he was in the First Tank Division and was discharged as a Private First Class in 1955.  He joined the Army reserves with the Sixteenth Tank Division in Aurora, CO for one year.  Leroy received the Korean Medal, Good Conduct medal and the President of South Korea Medal.

On April 15, 1966 he married Gwendolyn Rose Albright and the two spent close to 50 years together before she passed away in 2015.

After his discharge from the Army, Leroy went to Englewood, CO where he went to work at the sheet metal plant.  He later worked at Martin Marietta Corporation in Littleton, CO for 36 years before retiring in 1996 and moving to Ft. Morgan, CO.  In 2002, he and Gwen relocated to Cairo, MO.

Leroy attended Pleasant Hill Baptist Church was a lifetime member of the VFW.  He enjoyed hunting and bowling when his health allowed and especially liked spending time with family.

Leroy is preceded in death by his parents; Roy and Gladys Small; his beloved wife, Gwen Small; sister, Virginia Louise Roberts and brother, Kenneth William Small.

He is survived by his fur babies, Zoe Small (dog) and Patches (cat); sisters, Gladys May “Babe” Null and Carol Lee Henery; brothers, David Lee Small and Michael William Small; brother-in-law, Donald Albright; four generations of nieces and nephews who will miss him dearly.

A graveside service followed by military honors will be held to honor Leroy’s life on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville.  Family will receive guests from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. earlier the same day at Pathway Memorial Funeral Home.