Shirley Jean Leitzen

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Shirley Jean Leitzen, 77, of Manila, died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, at her home in Manila. Born April 25, 1933, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Thelma Dyson Veer and had been a Manila area resident for the past 48 years.

She was a former employee of the Leachville and Manila Senior Citizens Center having driven the van for many years. She participated in the Senior Olympics and in 1990 she received a gold medal in horse shoe pitching, a first place ribbon for shooting a Daisy air rifle at a target 30 feet away, and a second place ribbon for driving a nail through a 4x4.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by three children, Janis Leitzen, Ricky Leitzen, and Tony Leitzen; a brother, Joseph Millford "Sunny" Veer; four sisters, Roseabelle Stichter, Lavina Huenefeld, Myrna Kraft and Josephine Walker.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, William Leitzen of Manila; four sons, William Leitzen, Jr., Walter Leitzen, and Douglas Leitzen, all of Manila, and Thomas Leitzen of Leachville; four daughters, Mary Carter and Cathy Carter, both of Manila, Rita Armstrong of Lepanto, Margie Thrasher of Leachville; a brother, Robert Veer of Reno, Ark.; two sisters, Patricia Huenefeld of Lena, Ill., Ruby Rouleau of Manchester, N.H.; 22 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Howard Funeral Service Chapel in Manila with Rev. Gary Galloway officiating. Burial followed in Manila Cemetery. The family received visitors Saturday from 10 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.

Serving as active pallbearers were John Carter, Scott Carter, John Thrasher, Terry Scott Thrasher, Daniel Carpenter and Lester Stone. Terry F. Thrasher served as an honorary pallbearer.

The family requests anyone wishing to leave a lasting memorial consider the American Cancer society.

Guest register is www.HowardFuneralService.com.