Leta Pearl Kinzer

Leta Pearl McArthur was born to Carl Allen McArthur and Rosa Pearl Green on December 12, 1921. She had two older half-brothers from her father’s marriage to Ova Mae Swaney (died in Measles epidemic in 1917). They are Harold Leslie McArthur (3/29/1916-3/4/2010, Fairview, Oregon married Ruby Ida Heisner) and Raymond Gordon McArthur (3/5/1911 – August 1988 Schaumburg, Illinois, married Carmella Reda). She was followed by four younger siblings: George Allen McArthur (10/16/23- 3/17/1924 Maryville, MO); Gladys Irene McArthur Beshoar (7/22/1926-12/21/2003 Frankfort, Kentucky, married Robert) Dale Eldon McArthur (born 4/24/1928, married Joan Grate) and Wayne Edward McArthur (born 8/30/1933, married Carol Purvey).

Leta gave her heart to the Lord in the Summer of 1938 and later attended Moody Bible Institute Evening School in Chicago, IL. There she met Ernest Junior Kinzer, whom she married on January 10, 1942 at the First Baptist Church in Plainfield, Illinois (they were married 53 years).

Ernie and Leta had four sons: Donald Arthur (born 2/23/1943, married Joan Wagler), David Keith (1/26/1946 – 5/29/1971) , Carl Ray (9/20/1948, married Denise McClure, Jan Hooley) and Steven Ernest (born 4/3/1951, married Pamela Henry, Judy Johnson) They have seven grandchildren: Lori (Ryan) Rasberry, Shelly (Brent) Parshauer, Amy (Jay) Steidinger, Todd Kinzer, Adam (Beth) Kinzer, Holly (Brian) Lehmann, & Matthew (Kinzer) Radcliffe. They have 13 Great-grandchildren: Caleb, Lindsey, Seth, Ryan, Rylie, Braydon, Landri, Jesse, Titus, Silas, Lucas, Liam, & Ava

She had grown up in Missouri and Illinois, and spent time in Texas before Ernie & Leta made their home in Florida in the early 70s. After Ernie died on February 9, 1995, Leta moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to be near her son Donald. She later moved to Eureka, Illinois and spent her final years at the Apostolic Christian Home there (near her son Carl).

Some of her memories included growing up during the depression years, seeing President Franklin D. Roosevelt speak in Joliet while he was campaigning, hearing Pearl Harbor had been bombed when they were getting their engagement pictures taken, and looking back on the years that Ernie was in the service.