James Lionel Edson Jr.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, November 5 at Newcomer’s Noland Road Chapel. Visitation will be held immediately before the funeral beginning at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow the funeral at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Lionel was 89 years old, born on May 23, 1931 in Independence, MO. He graduated from William Chrisman High School in 1950. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1951 and was stationed primarily in Okinawa Japan during the height of the Korean War. After his honorable discharge in 1953, he returned to work at Armco Steel. At Armco he was in the rolling mill and machined the rolls the steel ran across. The job required attention to detail due the exacting tolerances that were required. He retired in 1993 after working for 44 years there.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years Alma Faye (Grubb) Edson. They were married March 2, 1963 and lived in the same home for the entirety of their time together. With Alma, Lionel enjoyed gardening and being lifetime hockey fans, holding season tickets for many years. Together they enjoyed traveling, seeing the great outdoors and spending time together. Lionel enjoyed long summer vacations with his family. After retirement he enjoyed spending time with their sons and grandchildren.

He was a scoutmaster for Troop 236 at the First Baptist Church for several years. He attended H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation for many summers and is a member of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say as a honorary warrior “Slow Walking Buffalo”.

He was preceded in death by his father Jim, mother Susie May (Hare), and step-mother Edythe (Waggener) Edson, numerous aunts and uncles, and his brother-in-law Conrad Hoffman, and nephew Kevin Hoffman.

Also surviving him is his two sons, Jim and Mike, 6 grandchildren Michael, Paige, Michaela, Eric, Jay, and Kyle, and step-grandchildren. Two brothers survive him, Larry in Wisconsin (since deceased) and Steve in Warrensburg. Daughters-in-law Phyllis Quigg Edson and Yvonne McGinnis-Edson, and sister-in-law Anna Lee Hoffman also.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to the American Diabetes Association or the Heart of American Council Boy Scouts of America.