Leland "Pat" A Scanlon

Leland A. “Pat” Scanlon, 77, of Bloomington, passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at his residence after a courageous ten year battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m .on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at East Lawn Funeral Home, where visitation will begin at 12noon. Interment will be at East Lawn Memorial Gardens following services.

He was born August 18, 1934 in Chicago, son of Arthur and Clara Netherton Scanlon. He married Rita Donley Kiley on April 14, 1973 in Bloomington. She survives.

Also surviving are four sons, Thomas (Diane) Scanlon and Mike (Sue) Kiley, both of Bloomington, Ed (Jill) Kiley of Flower Mound, TX and Dave (Lisa) Kiley of Plano, TX; two daughters, Julie (Dave) Clark and Jane (Jim) Novacek, both of Bloomington; two brothers, Dale (Gayle) Gillette of Chatsworth and Lester (Carol) Gillette of Florida; two sisters, Jeanne (Mike) Scott of Fairbury and Linda (Gene) Lemen of Colorado Springs, CO; one sister-in-law, Betty Gillette of Chatsworth and a special aunt, Irma Netherton of Hot Springs, AR.

Surviving grandchildren include Kira and Mia Scanlon, Stacy (Jess) Durako, Jerrod and Amy Kiley, Hailey (Mike) Grace and Miles Wright, A.J, Jake & Evan Kiley, Katie, Becky and Michael Novacek; Lindse Alaniz, Kasey and Jenny Kiley and two great-grandchildren, Lauren and George Durako.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his step-father, Gene Gillette; one brother, Loren Gillette; one sister, Marilyn Vervile and one aunt, Pauline Van Duya.

Pat graduated from Chatsworth High School in 1953. He was a United States Army Veteran, serving from 1954 – 1955.

He retired from General Telephone (GTE) in 1999, after 42 years of service as a Telephone Switching Technician.

Although Pat was a father to a house full of Chicago Cub fans, he was an avid St. Louis Cardinal fan. During his lifetime, the Cardinals won eight World Championships. He was a collector of Cardinal baseball cards – collecting nearly 6,000 cards in all. He loved reading history books and magazines. He loved working in the yard and tending to his roses. Most of all, Pat loved his family and enjoyed his sixteen grandchildren and hearing his great grandchild yell “Pat” when she walked through the door. He especially loved playing with his “sweetie pie,” Kira and his “honey bun,” Mia.

Pat was a loving, caring and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be greatly missed by all of his loved ones.

Special thanks to Dr. Jeong and the staff at the Community Cancer Center for their wonderful kindness and compassionate care. Also the OSF Hospice and Ambulatory staff and Monsignor Jerry Ward.

Memorials may be made to the Community Cancer Center or Faith in Action. Online condolences may be submitted to www.EastLawn-Bloomington.com.