Gregory E. “Greg” Leslie, 58, of Country Club, Mo., and formerly of Perry passed away Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, from late-stage pancreatic cancer diagnosed in early July 2017. Greg died at his home, surrounded by his loving family.
He was born Feb. 4, 1959, to Phillip E. and K. Mardine (Denger) Leslie at the Dallas County Hospital in Perry, Iowa.
Greg was raised in Perry, where he attended grade school, the Dawson fifth grade school and then completed junior high school in Perry. He graduated from Perry Community High School in 1977. After high school he enrolled in the University of Iowa and graduated in 1981 with a B.S. degree in political science.
Greg was a loyal Hawkeye fan and was often referred to as Mr. Hawkeye as he proudly sported the black and gold and cruised around in what he commonly referred to as the “Hawkeye” Jeep.
After college, Greg was employed with the city of Iowa City in 1982 in the transit division as a bus operator and was later promoted and served as an operations supervisor.
In 1988 Greg took a position with ATE/Ryder Management and Service Co., where he was hired as an associate. He was later appointed the assistant general manager for the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District in Peoria, Ill.
In 1991 he was appointed the Transit General Manager for the city of St. Joseph, Mo. He served in this capacity for six years. He also served as secretary of the Missouri Public Transit Association in 1996 and 1997.
In 1998 Greg accepted a position with Shelter Insurance Co. as a property casualty resident adjuster. He remained employed by Shelter Insurance as a resident auto adjuster until the time of his death.
Greg was also a member of the St. Joseph Host Lions Club, where he went through the chairs as a first vice president, second vice president and president.
Greg was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents; his parents; brother, Warren A. Leslie; and beloved companion of 12 years, his floppy-eared schnauzer, Sox.
He dearly loved his son, Paul, and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, who blessed him with two beautiful grandchildren, Zoey and Stephen.
Greg was an avid sports enthusiast but was especially fanatic about his beloved Iowa Hawkeyes and St. Louis Cardinals baseball.
Survivors include his son, Paul (Elizabeth) Leslie of Country Club Village, Mo.; grandchildren, Zoey and Stephen Leslie; brother, Dennis (Susan) Leslie of Perry; brother, Lynn (Sarah) Leslie of Garrettsville, Ohio; sister, Kita (James) Goodson of Clive; former wife, Mary Dean of Andrew County, Mo.; and dear friend, Kathie Lawrence of St. Joseph, Mo.
Farewell services are scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 at the Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will gather with friends from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at the Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory.
The family requests donations in remembrance of Greg be made to the St. Joseph Host Lions Club and/or the University of Iowa Foundation. An online guestbook and obituary are available at the funeral home’s website.
A Celebration of Life visitation will be held at Murdock Funeral Home in Perry. The date and time will be announced at a later date.
